Loneliness a Bane or a Boon Essay Example

Loneliness : a Bane or a Boon? Essay How to make the bane of ‘loneliness a boon? I. Sarkar Man is born free but everywhere he is chained. In the present day democratic set up of the world the chain is the invisible chain of loneliness or isolation. Mental isolation or ‘loneliness is undoubtedly the worst curse or tragedy of a mans life. It is painful because it is contrary to Natures laws. In every aspect of Nature, there is a symmetry or coherence. Even the very atom of a matter is built on the principle of ‘coexistence of heterogeneous characters. Every biotic element requires inter and intra exchange of feelings amongst its own surroundings. In case of man it is of paramount importance, because of all animals only man possesses the passion or intelligence to think and feel. Man cannot live by bread alone. He has to satisfy his mental or emotional needs in addition to physical ones. Man also requires conveying his ideas or thoughts to his fellow being. For this inevitably irresistible reason man has been living in societies; created languages and has built a rich civilization. The primitive ‘Clans have become big cities of the Postmodern global villages of the 21st century. In reverse manner it can be said that Mans total achievement is the outcome of his desire to overcome the curse of ‘Isolation or ‘Loneliness. But it is a matter of regret that instead of gaining victory over this in-born enemy, man has become its worst prey even in the midst of pomp and glory. The isolation of human mind increased proportionately with his materialistic and intellectual prosperity. We will write a custom essay sample on Loneliness : a Bane or a Boon? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Loneliness : a Bane or a Boon? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Loneliness : a Bane or a Boon? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Materialism of the last 150 years has given man almost all ingredients to enjoy life, to live in pleasure and comfort; but the pursuit of materialism has made man more and more isolated or lonely in the contrary. For this reason even after possessing Mass-media, electronic goods, computers internets, television etc. man is as lonely as his prehistoric forefathers. In todays world loneliness are of various natures. Apart from the prisoners and lunatics who are segregated by the law of the country, there are Old age homes which are voluntarily accepted by modern people as their last resort to overcome the burden of loneliness. Bacon said long ago, A crowd is not a company. So it is easily discernable that even a celebrity or glamorous personality living amidst millions of admirers or followers may be an extreme sufferer of loneliness. (The tragic end of Michael Jackson may be mentioned) A man may be surrounded by hundreds of people but his condition may be as tragic as Alexander Selkirk, Robinson Crusoe or Clara Copperfield. Of these the first two fought against the circumstantial adversity and won but Clara ,living amongst her near and dear ones became a patient of ‘Melancholia and ultimately died a miserable death. Acute loneliness causes depression and ruins or kills the victim ultimately. A victim of loneliness becomes addicted to drugs or antisocial activities and may even commit suicide. In a word it can be called a silent killer—physical as well as moral. But is loneliness or mental isolation really a curse? Is it really a killer? Is it a bane? Lets try to see the other side of the coin: If we ponder over the matter in a positive manner then we would get the revelation of enormous hidden potentiality in mental isolation or loneliness. It would appear a boon having multi-colour and varied potentiality. It provides man to work according to his own desire and satisfy his creative instincts. If viewed positively then it would appear that the real pleasure of life remains only in isolation. Leaving the cases of the ancient sages apart, we would discover that it is very easy to achieve anything in an isolated state of mind. Isolation provides more time which means more creativity. Isolation provides liberty to think individually, to see everything in their real colour. It also frees man from the fear of losing anything. It helps strengthening ones moral courage and develops indomitable spirit in man. It makes a man dauntless optimist too. Mans eternal pursuit in this world is to be happy. But most of us meet the opposite because we do not know how to approach it. We look before and after and pine for what is not; and suffer eternal misery as a consequence. As the end is a very lofty and covetous so the means are wrongly exercised causing catastrophic results. Mental isolation may create this awareness in the mind of the sufferer and thus provide him the right realization or the key to happiness. Again, it is only in isolation a man can do self criticism. He understands the merits of a good act and demerits of a bad one. This realization causes purification of ones soul and thus helps him to regain his mental strength. Thus it can be said that the proper use of Isolation ultimately helps a man to regain his self-respect and self-confidence which are the secret strength of a man to do miracles out of nothing. Mental isolation or loneliness indirectly provides a man the plan for future happiness. He can cast off his sordid experiences like bad dreams and prepare himself for a new beginning. In this regard the case of Napoleon and Jawaharlal Nehru may be mentioned as examples. But in order to obtain this, a man has to discipline his mind first. He should take recourse to his favourite hobbies like listening music or study good literature. Tagores inspirational songs are very helpful for moral boosting while Shakespeares Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Julius Caesar are relevant studies to the mentioned perspective. Man may try to realize the power of soul like the realization of Robinson Crusoe and fill his life with dedicated works all the time. He should not allow his mind to indulge in frustrating thoughts. In the hour of loneliness a man may make Tagores songs for rejuvenation. Meditation also helps enormously to fight the evil of loneliness. If a man follows all these things then in course of time he would obviously derive the Midas like capacity to make everything gold whatever he touches. Thus loneliness or isolation would become a boon in disguise in stead of a deadly bane. ++++

Du Bois Concept Of Double Consciousness

Du Bois Concept Of Double Consciousness It is one thing to be fully accepted in the society and another to struggle hard in order to gain cognizance due to one’s racial background. It is this feeling of alienation that prompted Du Bois, a sociologist to come up with the concept of ‘double consciousness’.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Du Bois Concept Of â€Å"Double Consciousness† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Being a Black-American himself, Du Bois attempted to comprehend and explore the psycho-social divisions that subsists in the American society through the double consciousness theory. It was evident that the African Americans attempted to fit in the social circles of the society that they lived in, and one that treated them with self pity and contempt. Du Bois argues that this feeling of alienation from the social interaction leads to the division of one’s identity hence making it hard to achieve an unified identi ty (Karenga 501). This essay will therefore explore the concept of double consciousness and further establish its role in the contemporary society. Du Bois describes the concept of double consciousness as a ‘two-ness’ in which the individual identifies himself as both an American and a negro. This feeling of double consciousness hence leads to psycho-social anxiety where the individual is forced to come to terms with the two social worlds entwined in one dark body. The concept of ‘two-ness’ therefore means that the individual has two souls, think in two different manners and bear double warring ideals, all in one. The concept of double consciousness can further be described as having three manifestations. The first one is the power that the white stereotypes have on black people, including their thoughts and lives. Secondly, the racial discrimination that alienates the black negroes from the mainstream of the society and finally, the internal divergence bet ween being both an American and African at the same time. This raises the individual’s awareness of how others perceive him hence changing one’s identity to gain acceptance in the social interaction. This leads to the individual’s self image being badly damaged due to the treatment accorded to him by the white people. The African-American hence perceives himself as an outcast in the social standing and struggles to gain acceptance hence shaping his future experience and culture.Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Du Bois therefore presents the concept of double consciousness with various instances. In each instance, the negroes struggle to be accepted and overcome the barriers created by the white culture. Du Bois presents the struggle as an attempt to scrap the hideous crime of racism. The concept of double consciousness can be explained in various ways, all of which portray the devastating effect that comes as a result of compromised identity. This ranges from the excruciating worry that an African-American parents experience when raising their children in a white society to the unsuccessful policies of segregation and the emergence of slums in various American cities. The theoretical model of double consciousness highlights the concept of racism that is said to emphasize the feeling of double consciousness. This is due to the fact that most people become aware of what others think about them as a result of their racial background leading to a low self-esteem. It is for this reason that Du Bois argues that racism attempts to divide people resulting to the African-Americans feeling prejudiced and stereotyped. The overall implication of double consciousness is wrong as it breaches and violates the fundamental rights bestowed upon every citizen. Though many philosophers would like to argue that we currently live in a society tha t is free from racial segregation, the concept of double consciousness is still pertinent to the modern society. This is because the contemporary society still presents several inequalities premised upon the racial background of an individual hence making it hard for the African-Americans to reunite their identities. A good example is by the media portraying the blacks only as athletes, rappers or even criminals hence giving an impression to the white community that the blacks have no other social advancement. The blacks on the other hand perceive this limited paths as their only road to success in the competitive world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Du Bois Concept Of â€Å"Double Consciousness† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is just one of the many illustration that shapes the perception that the whites have on black people. It is also evident that most of the senior positions in the contemporary s ociety are held by white executives with the blacks playing the role of handymen in most instances. However, as Du Bois argues, it is possible to solve the dilemma posed by double consciousness. This can be achieved by separating the notion that there is a bio-genetically factor that determines the character of the person. This helps the blacks to fit in the white society and enjoy all the rights and benefits accorded to the whites and yet still preserve their rich African cultures. The media should for instance stop selling images portraying the blacks as being irrelevant to the society and instead bring out the best in them. By electing the first African-American president of United States serves as a stepping stone by the society to fully accept the blacks as being innately humans. In conclusion, the concept of double consciousness plays a very important role in the society. Not only does it present the dilemma faced by the affected persons but also their struggle to be accepted and become what indeed they are not. This hinders the society from putting into use the unique talents despite the racial backgrounds of the individuals in order to achieve a superior sense of personhood for all citizens. Bibliography Karenga, Maulana. Introduction to Black Studies, Los Angeles: University of Sankore  Press, 2002. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Workforce Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Workforce Diversity - Essay Example The challenge of getting women and minorities into senior-level management positions is difficult. While the proportion of women and minorities in the workforce has increased significantly during the past decade, few of them have made it to the top. Along with shifts in organization demographics come additional competition. Some white male employees must now compete against people they did not consider rivals before--mainly women, blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. Even though they still control most of the managerial positions, many white males sense an impending loss of job entitlements. The transition from a workplace dominated by white males to one in which managerial and supervisory jobs are shared with representatives of other groups usually precipitates tension and conflict. The issue is further complicated by organization downsizing and restructuring--activities that add to the fear of lost opportunities. Contrary to some critics, black workers are still the last hired and the first fired. There is no conclusive evidence to support the assumption that white males are more productive workers than minorities and women. Qualified minorities and women are routinely passed over for jobs and promotions in favor of less qualified white males.

English literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

English literature - Essay Example The company has over five hundred employees, including well known designers in the region. Mr. Denzel Lawrence is the owner of that clothing line. The C.E.O of the company is Ian Beam. He is a brown and extremely tall Swedish gentleman, in addition to being down to earth. He cooperates well with all employees in that company. He owns a large mansion in New York City, where he lives happily with his cute wife, Diana. On this particular morning, he had several meetings with the designers in the company, to review some of the designs they had created that week. The meetings went extremely well, and Mr Ian was happy with the designs in place. Thus, he gave them a go ahead of putting those designs into clothes. As soon as the last meeting was over, his wife called and said, â€Å"Honey, I hope you are having a fantastic day at work. I just missed you and wished to hear your sexy voice again.† One could tell from the tone of her voice that they were madly in love. At the middle of t heir conversation, his secretary cut him short telling him that the boss, Mr. Denzel, wanted to speak with him. Therefore, he hurriedly wished his wife a fantastic day and rushed to find out what the boss wanted. Apparently, Mr. Denzel was equally a people’s person. He loved cracking jokes here and there to keep his conversations jovial. In addition, he was so in love with statues. His office was covered with a lot of statues of all shapes and sizes. One could think he was worshipping them. Later on in the afternoon, Mr Ian was scheduled to hold another meeting with other investors in the company. However, they called on time to cancel the meeting to the relief of the CEO. Therefore, he decided to take that golden opportunity to rush home early and surprise his wife. On his way home, he stopped near a flower shop to buy a bouquet of roses for his wife. Apparently, he was a frequent customer in that flower shop. This is because he loved giving his wife some flowers each time h e had that opportunity. He drove home smiling all the way, listening to some cool music. All through, he was fantasizing about the happy moments they would spend with his wife that afternoon. He anxiously opened the door to his luxurious mansion and went ahead to the kitchen first to take a cup of water. Surprisingly, he was very anxious to meet his wife that early. He laughed at himself quietly thinking aloud, ‘she is my wife for crying out loud and not a girl I just met and have a crush on hahaha.’ He was madly in love with his wife, so he tried to calm himself down by saying that probably that was the reason behind the anxious feeling he had. Some strange noises in the bedroom cut his thoughts short. He picked up some kitchen knife and tiptoed towards the bedroom. What he saw upon opening the bedroom door almost made him drop dead in disappointment: There was his wife in bed with another man! He thought: â€Å"What the hell? You mean Diana has been cheating on me al l through, and I have never suspected. Oh God, why was I so stupid and blinded by her sweet words?† He closed the door without uttering a single word and left quietly with painful tears on his eyes. On his way out, he saw a key holder with the name of his boss written on it. This made him even more confused. â€Å"Of all other people, why did she have to cheat on me with my own boss? Oh God, I thought my boss was my friend.† He just got into his car and drove carelessly with no direction in his mind. He was just driving to get as far away from his house as

Discuss the difference between Aristotle and Kant Essay

Discuss the difference between Aristotle and Kant - Essay Example In philosophy classes, one is likely to learn about Aristotle’s system of propositional logic where the concepts of premises and conclusions are used as a structure of reasoning. Contrarily, Kant lived in the 18th Century in the years 1724 - 1804. Kant was a paradigmatic philosopher who played a central role in the structuring of modern philosophy. Unlike Aristotle who was active in medieval era, Kant emerged as a key figure in the European Enlightenment periods (Graham, 23). Conventionally, Kant is alleged to have laid the foundation of empiricism and eradicated any remaining traces of medieval reasoning in philosophy. Each of the two philosophers discussed comprehensively on the concepts of moral propriety, commonly referred to as ethics. Aristotle asserts that there is an extricable connection between psychological and physiological nature in human beings. The consciousness of sensation perceived by the body in the material world serves the purpose of clothing the senses of thought and reasoning. In this context, Aristotle claimed that material knowledge perceived by the body influences immaterial thoughts, thus developing a scale for comparison between distinct objects and thoughts (Sherman, 127). This interaction between psychology and physiology experienced by human beings gives rise to the opposing concepts of virtue and vice. In this case, practical experiences coupled with sensitive existence leads to distinct realization and subsequent differentiation of good from bad. Unlike animals, human beings are in an intrinsic pursuit of favorable experiences manifesting as universal happiness. Acc ording to Aristotle, actions and thoughts that lead to happiness are called virtues, while contrary actions and thoughts are vices. According to Aristotle, the opposing concepts of virtue and vice serve as a scale for measuring extremes. Excess vice lies on one end while deficient vice lies on another end. In this case, virtue is a mean or

Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Supply Chains Management Essay

Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Supply Chains Management Essay Introduction Ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of supply chains in the food sector is an important challenge to todays businesses. Fresh milk is a perishable product; its easily despoiled and risky to supply chain. In order to ensure that when the milk arrives into markets, it is safe and in the top quality at the same time, the supply chain involved in moving milk from the farm to the market has to be managed carefully. This report aimed to review particular risk issues associated with the optimisation of the supply of fresh milk. The concept of supply chain risk management including supply chain risk sources, risk consequences, risk drives and risk mitigating strategies. In this report, there were also analyses the above information and produce an outline and strategies which suitable mitigation processes to alleviate the risk within the global network. Supply Chain Risk Sources The type of supply chain risk can divide by internal and external risk. The internal risks have including supply risks/ commercial risks, operational risks, strategic risks and security risks/ technical risks. According to the Hiles and Barnes (2001, p. 31), he divided that the internal supply chain risks of an organisation can be covered into five core risks. Internal risks (Hiles and Barnes, 2001): Supply risks or Commercial risks- the risk of relationships failing or succeeding, including business interruption due to loss of key supervisory. Operational Risks- the risk of human mistake or careless, which obstruction supply chain run smoothly including design mistakes, employee practices risk and interrupt. Strategic Risks- the risk of plans failing or succeeding, for example the marketing strategy or business strategy of the company itself are imperfect. Technical risks- the risk of physical assets failing/ being damaged or enhanced, for example equipment breakdown and infrastructure failure Financial risks- lack of financial control such as over budgets External risks: The external supply chain risk sources can divide by supplier / logistics failures and environmental risks. Suppliers and Logistics failures- risks between the stream of product or information which within the network, upstream supply chain of the company. Environmental issues: the environmental risks can be divided by 5 types, for example: Natural disasters, the geological events such as earthquakes; space weather such as sunspots, and extreme weather events such as hurricanes, typhoons and floods and health pandemics such as SARS or AIDS. Natural disasters may cause infrastructure damage, telecommunication downtime, and damage to a firms assets and danger to its employees. Political risk such as international relations, unstable political and governmental policies, will become the barriers of supply chain. Infrastructure risks, including IT failures, power blackouts and transport blocking or deterioration, may delays the transportation time. Legal Liabilities, the regulations may arise from fulfilment with product liability standards. The particular risk issues in the fresh milk supply chain Environmental issues: Natural disaster The natural disaster is the significant importance risks of fresh milk supply chain. Seasons always are the problems in foods supply chain. In this case, the seasons always affect the production of milk. According to the research reported the milk production is high in spring season when the fields are at their most lush, and reduces in the late autumn and winter. In order to overcome the problem, farmers have to manage calving and feed supplement to make sure milk can produce evenly throughout the year (www.tdtvictoria.org.au). At the same time, milk quality also has been affected by seasons; the milk quality will be low during the dry season. According to the research, in spring, the cow can provide high quality milk with high production. But in winter, the production and quality of milk will become low (Alan Spedding, 2009). In addition, another natural disaster for example bad weather, Tsunami and volcanic, it will delay the transportation times, and it could add significantly increase cost including transportation costs, labour costs and the opportunity cost and costs of damage. Due to the fresh milk is a perishable product, deliver on time is very importance to meet the consumer needs, but serious delays cause by natural disaster may lead to spoilage and rejection. (www.defra.gov.uk). Technical risks logistics risks Poor infrastructure for milk collection, distribution and storage will affects the supply chain efficiency and effectiveness. The lack of technical will increase the food safety and spoilage risks. According to the David Harris (2008, p3) claims that Fresh milk sales were handicapped by the lack of an effective refrigerated supply chain from on-farm cold storage through to home storage. Long distances of transportation and insufficient chilling facilities will increase procurement cost and harmfully affect milk quality, the cold storage facilities is significant important to the long distances milk transportation (Arshad H. Hashmi, 2004). Milk suppliers need to have enough capacity and safety in technical support and milk collection centre because the lack of chilling and cooling centre at potential milk producing and supply area are not allow in the milk supply chain (www.business-ethiopia.com). Another increase the logistics risk is high cost of collecting raw milk from the manufacturer. According to the Milk Market (2010), it found that the high transport costs through political intervention such as environmental taxation, and fuel prices has increased in milk supply chain logistics costs. The motorway charges for heavy goods vehicles have increases about 15 % and the new EU-Regulations (April 2007) reduced lead- and calmtimes of the drivers become the logistics risk of milk supply chain (www.milchindustrie.de). Process risks Cows are milked twice times a day and it can be store in the refrigerated vats for no longer than 48 hours. To avoid spoilage, the milk should be collected from the vats every 24 or 48 hours by refrigerated tankers. So the process of milk stored, and transport to processing centre, retailer and supermarket should be as soon as possible (www.tdtvictoria.org.au). Especially in hot climate countries, the milk will spoilage easily, the process of milk store and transport should be fast. The production of milk process is complicated, from farms to collect centres until to supermarkets, the process is long, people cannot makes any mistakes in this whole process. The process such as milking practices, milk handling, sanitation or the process of delivering milk should be clean, safe and fast. Milks supply chain Source by: Financial risks Global supply chains risks including supply disruption, supply delays, demand fluctuations, price fluctuations and exchange- rate fluctuations (Chopra. S Meindl. P.,2010). In milk supply chains the large fluctuation in milk prices and foreign exchange risks have result significant hurt milk supply chain performance. For example, in the 2008 the supply of milk on the global market increased and the demand reduced following rising prices for dairy products and the recession. The foreign exchange risks also have a major impact on the income statement and balance sheet in Arla company ( Arla Annual report, 2008) The risk consequences of supply chain 3.1 Risk consequences in natural disaster The seasons affect the milk production and milk supply chain and it makes the financial loss, performance loss and psychological loss to the organisation. According to the Blackburn. N and Kite. E. L (2008) defines that weather has played a part in milk production with the UK predicted to produce 13.19 billion litres in the 2007-08 quota year, some 300 million litres less than 2006-07. The decrease of milk production and increases the financial loss to the company. For another example, the milk shortages case in Pakistans urban place during the summer periods. The shortage increase the adulteration processes in Pakistan. In the fresh milk process, the unscrupulous traders added the water and other substances and harmful chemicals to fresh milk (Arshad H. Hashmi , 2004). This risk consequences including in this case are financial loss, performance loss and psychological loss because the health dangers basis by these practices are huge and the costs of ignoring the current levels of adulteration in fresh milk supplies will be far costly than rectifying the system (Arshad H. Hashmi , 2004). And the milk supply chain also gain the financial loss and performance loss after the Iceland Volcanic eruption. 3.2 Risk consequences in milk process The risk consequences in milk process have including financial loss, performance loss, psychological loss time loss and social loss. The process such as milking practices, milk handling, sanitation or the process of delivering milk should be clean, safe and fast, because milk easy spoilage after 48 without cool stored and using unclean containers, drunks. The processes to refining milk also have to ensure all materials and milk products are safe for human use by destroying all bacteria that may be harmful to health. Unsafely materials will harmful to people healthy, it will increase the psychological loss, performance loss, financial loss, time loss and social loss. For example: China sick milk cases had poisoned many children, although that is human fault but this also shown that the serious risk consequences of milk process which did not process safety (BBC news, 2008). In this case, Arla facing the financial loss, psychological loss and time loss worked together with its China partner to re-establish trust in the companys products again. They also take time and money to procedure for multiple testing of the milk used in production which have been recreated and implemented (Arla annual report, 2008). 3.3 Risk consequences in technical risk and logistic risk Technology also plays an important role in the supply chain management. Morden technical can improve the milk supply chain efficiency and milk quality. The refrigerated collects milk can helps to reduce the time barriers of the milk supplier deliver milk from farms to collect centres or processing factory. The new technology also helps to produce high quality milk and milk quality control. Cooling system is too expensive to a small farm to cool a small amount of milk. So for the small farm which lack of technical, this become the risk in the milk supply chain, because milk easy spoilage in high temperature, the process to deliver the fresh milk to the milk collect centres should be fast. Delays deliver will increase the physical loss and financial loss. The risk consequences in logistics risk have including performance loss, time loss and financial loss. The long distances transportation milk will gain the time loss and reduces the quality of milk, affect the milk performance increase the milk supply chain performance risk. The high cost of logistics will cause to financial loss because it will increase the cost of milk production. 3.4 The risk consequences in financial risks When the large fluctuation in milk prices in the year 2008, the milk supply chains difficult to look forward to development in the rapidly changing global market, many milk members have chop down about 15 % of the milk, in order to survival Arla goings-on to pay its members the highest possible price for their milk, this is the difficult periods to Arla to continue their milk supply chain business, but this has significantly hurt supply chain performance. Besides that, the foreign exchange matters also are a significant factor for Arla Foods, its have a major impact on the Arlas income statement and balance sheet (Arla Annual Report, 2008). Risk drivers According to the Jutner,U., Peck,H and Christopher, M. (2003) states that the risk drivers is the issues that turn risks into consequences. The risk drivers increased the level of risk, there are including internal and external issues, for example a focus on efficiency rather than effectiveness, globalisation, the rend to outsourcing, reduction of the supplier base, political or regulation etc (Tang. C.S., Teo. C.P, Wei. K. K, 2007). The supply chain risk drivers can define by either internal or external of the companies. The external drivers have included demand, supply risk and environmental, however the internal drivers are including process risk and control risk (www.decisioncraft.com). Table 4.1 Risks drivers in milk supply chain Risk category Risks driver Risk impact Plan control risk EU health and safety regulations Increase cost of capital Supply risk Globalisation of supply chains Reduction of the supplier base Motorway charges Production stop Replacement purchase costs Logistics costs Process risk Lead time Quality Human error Repair costs Reputation loss Demand risk Demand fluctuations Changes in preferences Bullwhip effect Environmental risk Weather seasonal Opportunity costs Replacement costs Internal drivers 4.1.1 The complexity of the Legal liabilities EU health and safety regulations are once of the policies that affects to the milk supply chains. The regulation is used to identify the milk quality assurance. All of the milk supply chains especially the distribution which has participate in internationally competitive supply chain, they should fulfil with EU health and safety regulations (www.optimilk.net). In order to fulfil the EU health and safety regulations, milk supply chain improve their safety process to produce milk from farms to supermarkets. The high cost of the safety process will increase the burden of milk supply Chain Company, increase pressure on margins, cost and efficiency. The regulatory also increase the complexity of the supply chain such as assembly line, outsourcing, off-shoring, and this makes the milk supply chain outsourcing more import from outside EU (www.goodfood-project.org). 4.1.2 Transportation costs- Motorway charges The high transportation costs become the risk driver in milk supply chain. According to the Milk Market (2010), it found that the high transport costs through political intervention such as environmental taxation, and fuel prices has increased in milk supply chain logistics costs at the same time increase the capital costs in companies, it may become a financial burden in the company especially for the global companies. (www.milchindustrie.de). External drivers The reduction of the supplier base The raw material risks drivers turn a significant risk into consequences of supply chain. A great example of Arlas group, its always have shortage problems in milks and other raw material risks. The material prices will increase when in the shortage periods, in order to reduce the risk; Arla will make a fixed agreement with its suppliers to ensure price predictability (Arla Annual report, 2008). The reduction of the supplier base cannot meet the customers needs; this will cause the supply chain failure. The globalisation of supply chains The globalisation of supply chain is risking to domestic supply chains, in order to gain the competitive advantages, the domestic supply chain have to expand their business to the global supply chain. However, the global supply chain will face many barriers, such as transportation costs, language problems, different business strategy, regulation and culture. This all uncertainty management is the risk drivers in overseas supply chains. Risk mitigating strategies According to the Wu. T and Blackhurst. J (2009, p.16) states that the risk mitigation plans in the Supply Chain Risk Management should include: Risk identification and modelling- identify the root causes of risks Risk analysis- analysis the potential consequences in the supply chain risk Risk management- selecting solutions and undertaking the implementation Risk monitoring and evaluation- monitoring, controlling and managing solutions Organisational and personal learning- such as knowledge transfer to others within the organisation and its supply chain members. Tang, C, (2006) has provide a robust nine strategies for mitigating supply chain disruptions. The strategies including postponement , strategic stock, flexible supply base, make and buy, economic supply incentives, flexible transportation, dynamic pricing and promotion, assortment planning and silent product rollover (see Appendix A) 5.1 The mitigation of milk supply chain risk There have found that the main risks in the milk supply chain are natural disaster, Technical risks logistics risks and process risks. There have several strategies below that can mitigation of milk supply chain risk: Postponement: delays deliver because of the natural disaster in the milk supply chain always affects the milk quality, in order to maintaining the transportation costs and maintaining the quality of milk. Milk supply chain companies can using the postponement strategy aims at delaying some supply chain activities until customer demand, this designed to increase flexibility and responsiveness and also maintaining unit cost and quality (Bowersox.D.J, Closs. D.J, Cooper.M.B, 2010). This will mitigate the time loss and financial loss in milk supply chain risk. Flexible transportation 3PL: for the logistics risk in milk supply chain, the milk supply chain can use the 3rd party logistics method not only can share the logistics risk with them. 3PL offers many types of transportation services, after milk supply chain using a 3PL provider, the milk supply chain companies can focus on the milk production. This will improve the milk quality and also increase the efficiency and effectiveness in supply chain. Today, many food companies are outsourcing various supply chain activities- 3PL to gain a competitive advantage, for example Cadbury Adams, Hershey, Nestle they all have works together with 3PL logistics. Flexible supply base Joint venture: Lack of the supplier always is the risk in the milk supply chain, outsourcing and joint venture with others farmers is the another method to increase more suppliers. For example, Arla occasionally buy milk from others suppliers provided them technical to meet the quality standards. The joint venture method has brought UK farmers closer to Arla and to develop the cooperation with their Finnish milk suppliers and collaborators (Arla Annual Report, 2008). For the milk supply chain companies who lack of supplier, the joint venture is the goods method to remove this risk. Adoption of new technology: Processing risk is the serious risk in milk supply chain; the failure process in milk production will come out significant consequences. In order to remove the risk, the training on milk handling practises, farm processing are needs. For the complexity of the food safety regulation, milk supply chain should encourage adoption of new technology complimented farm production extension resources to enforce food safety regulations. Arla Foods after using wastewater treatment technologies the problem of milk spillages have been reduced by around 400-1000 litres per day and also reduce discharge costs at its milk processing plant in Hobro Mejer (Shaun Weston, 2009). Conclusion There have many internal and external supply chain risks in the milk products. The risks issues have included environmental issues, process risks Technical risks logistics risks. The risk consequences in milk supply chain industries are very wide, it have include financial loss, performance loss, psychological loss, time loss and social loss. The supply chain risks always occurs, there are no such a ways to remove all the risks. The suitable mitigation processes to alleviate the risk with the global network there have: Postponement strategy: to delaying some supply chain activities until customer demand, increase flexibility and responsiveness and also maintaining unit cost and quality. Flexible transportation: working with 3PL logistics provider helps to increase the integrated operation, warehousing and transportation services in milk supply chain and also can share the risk with others. Flexible supply base: Joint venture with others to increase the supply flexibility, firm can to shift production among suppliers promptly. Innovation of technology: to maintain and increase the quality of products. Appendix A: Supply chain risk mitigation strategies

Plight of the Code Hero in the Works of Ernest Hemingway Essay

The Plight of the Code Hero in the Works of Ernest Hemingway      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his novels Ernest Hemingway suggests a code of behavior for his characters to follow: one that demands courage in difficult situations, strength in the face of adversity, and grace under pressure.   Termed the "code hero," this character is driven by the principal ideals of honor, courage, and endurance in a life of stress, misfortune, and pain.   Despite the hero's fight against life in this violent and disorderly world, he is rarely the victor.   The code that the hero follows demands that he act honorably in this uphill battle and find fulfillment by becoming a man and proving his worth.   Hemingway himself lived his life trying to show how strong and unlimited he was, a trait reflected in his novels as his heroes struggle through.   They are all martyrs to their cause, suffering but triumphantly ending their lives because they do not falter and show no weakness.   Destroyed, they are nevertheless winners because they do not give in.   "Su ccess is that old ABC -- ability, breaks, and courage" (Luckman n. pag.).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hemingway's heroes succeed precisely because of these characteristics.   Hemingway's heroes are not Marvel Heroes; they do not leap over tall buildings in a single bound, nor do they shoot spider webbing from their hands.   They traverse life and endure the pain dealt them, surviving with a moral and spiritual, but not material, victory.   They are not flat cardboard characters but real people who are heroes because they overcome a problem, not because they have a special ability.   The key trait that they have is the retention of their dignity.   The code heroes in TheOld Man and the Sea, The Sun Also Rises, and For Whom the B... .... _____.   The Old Man and the Sea.   USA: Scribners, 1952. _____. "Quotations Organized by Topic," <http://www.quoteland.com/quotes/topic/147.html> (18 May 1999). _____.   The Sun Also Rises.   USA: Scribners, 1926. Lord Byron. "Quotations Organized by Topic," <http://www.quoteland.com/quotes/topic/147.html> (18 May 1999). Luckman, Charles. "Quotations Organized by Topic," <http://www.quoteland.com/quotes/topic/147.html> (18 May 1999). McConnell, Frank.   The Modern Novel in America, Regnery, revised edition,1963, pg. 814.   Rpt. In World Literature Criticism.   Detroit: Gale Research, 1992. "Oscar Wilde." http://www.cp-tel.net/miller/BilLee/quotes/Wilde.html (18 May 1999). Shalizi, Cosma. "For Whom the Bell Tolls," <http://www.physics.wisc.edu/~shalizi/Poetry/Donne/For_whom_the_Bell_Tolls>   (1 May 1999).

Essay on “The Hills Have White Elephants” Essay

The hills of white elephants have brought along many problems for Jib. The thought of having a child is a hard topic to think about, especially, but even more so when isn’t planned. There will be arguments and issues with any ordinary couple, but these two try to figure out a way besides fighting. Love is always a difficult subject to explore but talking about it is only half the problem. Things can get so messed up, lost in the translation when you’re trying to explain yourself, that it can even makes things worse when you drag it out. To talk is to compare to compare is to solve, and thinking about all the issues these two have to work out is mind boggling. But for Jig and the man and for their relationship to work, it’s necessary for them to figure it out. It seems if Jig is a foreigner, someone the American (pg. 475) man may have met while traveling in Europe that he’s become very attached to. Lying can it be good or can it be bad, depending on the peo ple that this speaks to, it could go either way. Maybe she decides to lie to Jib, maybe that was her plan all along just to get Jib to speak his mind. You never know what anyone is thinking; maybe she loves him so much she’ll lie about anything just to keep Jib around. Lies can take you to far places, from experience I know, but when things go bad and suddenly turn south it’s hard to dig yourself out. Usually the damage has been done and there’s no way to fix the hole in the boat. Coming from Jib’s perspective when the man offered the abortion as an idea or way out of the situation, it seemed it was his plan maybe to trick her into getting one all along. He says â€Å"he knows plenty of people who have had one.† (pg. 476 ) Then he shows his affection by saying he wants what’s best for her, but then says, â€Å"I’m perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you.† (pg. 477). Like as if to say it in a way to put the pressure of the situation or the outcome of their relationship on her, by the decision she makes, but because he keeps talking it kind of unravels on him. In his mind, the man appears to want to keep things the way they were, before there was this baby. He wants to continue traveling the world and partying around. What comes out from the conversation is the man’s true selfish ways. You can tell Jib is also fishing for reassurance of the man’s love for her. Jib says, â€Å"And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?† (pg. 477) As if to say Jib is questioning how the man feels about  her now in this situation. Yet he says â€Å"I love you now. You know I love you.† (pg. 477) But you can tell that Jib really doesn’t believe he loves her the way that he did before, because the situation has caused drama in their relationship. To me, the white elephants in the room were Jib and the unborn baby; the hills are kind of the whole situation they’re dealing with as a couple. But because Jib continues to drink alcohol, fully knowing she’s pregnant leads me to believe she knew all along that she was going to go ahead with the operation. This conversation was her way of finding out how the man really felt about her and their relationship. A baby is supposed to be the combination of two people and the love they have for each other, it’s a natural thing you’d want and desire if you really love someone. She doesn’t want to have the operation at first, or so she says, but the man plays a mind game on her and confuses her into agreeing with the operation, but Jib was playing may have been playing her own game as well. This isn’t really a form of love coming from either side; it’s a form of deception. He practically baits Jib by the way he says things to her when she says, â€Å"And we could have all this, â€Å"And we could have everything and every day we make it more impossible.† (pg. 477) But the man is very negative in saying â€Å"No we can’t.† (Pg. 477) numerous times. Jib is trying to be positive, make light of the situation, but the man is full of negativity. True love comes from the mind and heart, is sacrificial, in that you’d do almost anything to protect the one you love. Jib says, â€Å"she doesn’t even care about herself.† (Pg. 477) She just wants things to be fine again and is willing to sacrifice her child for it and him. These two have a form of attachment, an almost obsession, but love, it seems more one sided, I don’t see it, lust maybe. Jib appears to be young, and the man older, but you sense neither of them knows what either of them wants from a relationship let alone anything else. Except to travel the world and have fun. Love isn’t always fun and for anyone who has been in love, you know what I am talking about. Complications hit you at every turn to take the love you have away, and when the real stuff starts happening that’s when you find out if someone really loves you or they’re just using you for their own personal gain. Real love takes work and time to establish. The man is using Jib to his advantage, just so he has a party friend, and a traveling companion. A baby is not in his plans, but  now the pregnant news comes to light, and his true self is exposed and he pani cs, even pretends to love her just to trick her into getting an abortion. In conclusion love can be seen in a lot of ways, but to some it’s just a game to see how far people can play with each other’s emotions. The man is a traveler and having a kid would have ruined his plans of fun. He did what he had to do for himself and lust for travel. Love is powerful and the way he uses it is wrong especially on a young girl. Don’t abuse the power given to you because you never know who you might hurt. The pain you inflict on others always seems to have a strange way of coming back to haunt you in your future. I guess what people say about what comes around goes around, because if you think about, it does.

Botswana: A Diamond in the Rough Essay

1) The Harvard case, Botswana: A Diamond in the Rough, describes the exceptional case of Botswanas sustained economic rise from near absolute poverty to a country with a 10% average annual GDP growth for more than four decades. This case shows that healthy economic gains can be achieved by a mixture of formal institutions and ad hoc substitutes for missing institutions. When Botswana gained its independence in 1966, the country lacked many of the institutions deemed essential for economic growth by most prosperous developed nations. These absent institutions included a central bank, a national currency, basic administrative structures, market institutions, and the ability to connect to the global markets and apply external tariffs. Yet, Botswana was unique among its neighbors in that it held institutions such as a stable, democratic government supported by a charismatic leader and a constitution which upheld the liberties of a free press, legal transparency, and property rights. Botswanas institute of government also lacked the discriminatory practices and internal strife present in many of the neighboring countries. Botswana was able to supplement its lack of many formal institutions with substitute ad hoc solutions which filled many gaps. The countrys initial lack of its own central bank and national currency was supplemented with the countrys use of the South African Monetary Union until Botswana was able to establish its own currency and central bank in 1976. Similarly, Botswana relied on the South African Customs Union (SACU) for application of import tariffs used to raise tax revenue and protect infant domestic industries. Gaps left in the countrys infrastructure by weak public funding and an underdeveloped private sector were patched with help from financing and administration given by multinational firms, development institutions, as well as the creation of some of its own formal institutions. The most prominent of these situations was the countrys brokered relationship with the DeBeers Corporation which provided the country which technical expertise in a highly profitable industry, the establishments of diamond townships complete with working infrastructure, as well as a much needed source of  revenue. Botswana also used funds derived from development aid organizations and the financing agents such as the World Bank and the Canadian International Development Agency to substitute for its lack of private equity markets and banks. In addition, the country used the publicly traded company, Botswana RST, to attract foreign investment to aid in fully exploiting their natural resource potential. Investors in this company included multinational mining firms including AMAX and Anglo-American. Botswanas history of stability and protection of intellectual property rights also contributed to private foundations and major drug companies such as Harvards AIDS Institute, Bill and Melinda Gates AIDS initiative, and Merck helping to combat the brutal onslaught of the AIDS virus in the country. Botswana used a series of national development plans established by its Ministry of Finance and Development to guide future government spending. Contributions and returns from foreign investment were reinvested into infrastructure and education, while budget surpluses were stockpiled to hedge against sudden drops in revenue caused by potential downturns in the diamond market. Institutions such as the Mineral Right in Tribal Territories Act vested mineral rights in the central government rather than the hands of the tribal leaders while the two special funds, the Public Debt Service Fund and the Revenue Stabilization Fund, were established to funnel mining revenues into loans for local authorities and parastatal bodies. The Botswana Housing Corporation was a formal institution which used diamond revenues to finance construction projects while the Botswana Power Corporation and the Water Utilities Corporation were created to serve similar functions for electricity and water. The Botswa na Development Corporation, National Development Bank, and the Botswana Enterprise Development Unit were charged with allocating diamond revenue to diversify the economy. Botswana’s institutional development was a process. It began with virtually no formal institutions. Informal solutions led to the development of formal institutions, which allowed for Botswana’s idiosyncratic economic stability. 2) The most evident pro of nationalizing Botswanas diamond industry would be to achieve the short-term gains by selling stockpiled diamonds. Unfortunately, doing so would cost Botswana years of established credibility as it would require the country to renege on their previous agreements with the DeBeers Corporation. Such an action would deter future investors into Botswana, as well as cause the loss of their largest foreign investor, DeBeers. Loss of the DeBeers connection would cost Botswana the future gains associated with continued expertise in the field of diamond mining, infrastructure improvements historically provided by DeBeers in areas servicing the mines, and also the administrative capability of a major international corporation. The most significant con would likely be the loss of DeBeers as a steward of the cartel practices necessary to preserve the price premium associated with stockpiling diamonds. If left to navigate the sales and stockpiling of diamond by itself, the country would face the historically difficult task for a poor government that relies heavily on commodity sales to self-regulate commodity sales, and thus government revenues, while still balancing the demands of maintaining the cartel. 3) The extent to which Botswanas model is replicable outside of Botswana would certainly depend on a variety of factors some within the control of central governments, and others environmentally or socially determined. The presence of an extremely valuable natural resource(s) is a key component in Botswana growth model. While other countries also share this component, many lack the peace and stability associated with a stable government body and a tolerant society. Botswanas government offers stability and social climate free of the restrains presented by ethnic, tribal, and religious conflicts. Additionally, mining interests are centrally controlled and not subject to regional battles over mineral wealth. Likewise, discrimination between groups is not a prevalent issue in this country. Botswana also benefited from Tsekedi Khamas strong leadership in bringing new policies to the forefront and unifying the countrys economic policies among the various tribal groups. The countrys adherence to prudent social and macroeconomic policies also held a large role in the creation of an  atmosphere of growth and foreign investment. The credibility established through years of sound economics practices, legal transparency, property rights, stable government, and free press created a more welcoming environment for foreign investment than many other developing nations. The extent to which this model is replicable outside of Botswana depends on the level of faithfulness to the social and macroeconomic policies described above and a working mix of formal institutions and adequate substitute organizations. Although a full range of formal institutions are not necessary to achieve continued economic growth, substitutes must arise where the institutions are lacking to provide the necessary functions lost by their absence.

6 Gift Ideas for Teachers

6 Gift Ideas for Teachers Schools have different policies about teacher gifts. In some schools, the parents association collects money and buys each teacher a gift, while in other schools, parents can give what they wish to teachers, administrators or to other staff. Some schools provide guidelines for parents to follow, while others leave this completely up to the students and their families. While there are urban legends (some of them true) about parents providing teachers with lavish presents and, more commonly, providing  college guidance officers with expensive gifts throughout the year, it is generally more suitable for parents to buy teachers gifts either during the winter holidays, during National Teacher Appreciation Week (which takes place in early May)  or at the end of the school year. While some families pride themselves on finding the perfect gift that suits a teachers personality, others opt for homemade gifts or treats, while others look for gifts that help the teachers in the classroom. Looking for some inspiration? Check out these teacher gift ideas:   Gift Cards If youre not sure what your teacher needs or wants as a gift, opt for a gift card. General gift cards to places like Amazon.com or Barnes Noble can be perfect. If you know your teachers favorite coffee shop, grab a gift card to his or her favorite shop. Dont fret over the amount, either, its the thought that counts. Books and Materials for the Classroom While many private schools are fortunate enough to have well-stocked libraries, teachers often compile lists of the books, DVDs, programs, or technology that they need in their classrooms that go above and beyond the annual budget. It may be a good idea to start with your schools librarian when looking to buy a teacher a gift, as the librarian may keep a list of what the teacher needs, including not only titles that relate to the teachers curriculum but also magazine subscriptions or DVDs that can support their teaching; you can also give gifts to the library to thank the deserving librarians. A technology teacher can let you know if your childs teacher or the tech department have specific requests for their classrooms. Well-Loved Books You can never go wrong with an extra hard-copy edition of an inspirational book or one that the teacher uses in the classroom. If you are looking for titles, you can start with the ten most commonly read books in private high schools, which often appear on school reading lists.   Movies About Teachers and Schools There are a number of movies about private schools that make good teacher gifts, including The Dead Poets Society (1989), The Emperors Club (2002), and the classic Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). Another great film about an English prep school is The History Boys (2006), based on a play by Alan Bennett. Its about a group of bright, outspoken boys at a provincial British high school who are coached to pass the written exams to get into Cambridge and Oxford by a set of eccentric faculty members. Though the movie takes place in Britain, the students and classroom discussions are similar to those at American private schools. Dessert and a Card Keep in mind that a cookie and a note go a long way. The best gifts I ever received as a teacher were thoughtful notes written by my students and their parents. I keep every single one of them, as do many of the teachers and faculty I know. One administrator I met even tacked every single thank-you note he had ever received to his bulletin board. He would look at these thoughtful notes on bad days. These notes are wonderful pick-me-ups and reminders to teachers why they do the hard work that they do all year. You can accompany the note with a coffee mug customized to the teachers interests (for example, featuring a writer or a mathematician), or you can use this baking website to make some cookies to go along with the note; nothing will be sweeter. Make a Donation to the School's Annual Fund This can be a great way for a family to show their appreciation for a teacher while benefitting the schools annual fund. Make a donation of any amount that you are able to make, and you can designate the gift to be in honor of one or more teachers. The development office will usually send a note to the teachers letting them know that a gift was made in their honor, but you can also send a note stating that youve done this simple act. Your gift to the Annual Fund will be put towards the general budget which benefits all aspects of the school, enhancing the experience for your child and his or her teachers.

Trifles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Trifles - Essay Example cture, including altering the starting and stopping points to some degree or another to either sharpen or soften the impact of the climax, it is true that most of our most popular stories follow this basic concept. However, Susan Glaspell, author of Trifles, has been accused of completely abandoning this basic structural framework within the play, creating instead a meandering, pointless and climax-less exposition that communicates its power through the very powerlessness of its main characters and the absence of the primary protagonist. A closer understanding of the basic plotline of the story reveals that Glaspell did not abandon this common structure, but instead placed it in an unusual context, purposely de-emphasizing the climax to illustrate the necessary actions of women with little to no power of their own. The play begins with the entrance of two women and three men into a gloomy farm kitchen that turns out to be the former home of John and Mrs. Wright. This is typically where exposition would start as the author begins to set up the story and this is exactly what Glaspell does. She includes some foreshadowing regarding the nature of the relationship between the couple as Mr. Hale continues to drop hints that John was cruelly dominating toward his wife. Telling the story of how he found the couple upon his arrival the morning of John’s death, Mr. Hale indicates that he had hoped to convince John to get a telephone and felt perhaps speaking about it in front of Mrs. Wright might have some positive effect as she was sure to want one as well. â€Å"I thought maybe if I went to the house and talked about it before his wife, though I said to Harry that I didn’t know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John.† This indication of a master/servant relationship is carried throughout this opening segment of the play and deliberately throws emphasis upon the men’s ideas regarding John’s death while allowing the two women to slip almost

ASSIGNMENT 1-POLSC 440 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ASSIGNMENT 1-POLSC 440 - Essay Example The constituent states of Yugoslavia on the other hand were determined to ensure that they pursued their own nationalist agenda through the acquisition of complete independence from Belgrade. Many of the individuals in these states felt that they were marginalized in the Serb dominated Yugoslavia and wanted to ensure that their own interests were protected and to achieve this, they all wished to have their own independence. The war which developed as a result, especially after the coming to power of Slobodan Milosevic as the Yugoslav president, was extremely complex with many of those involved included the members of various ethnic groups either making alliances or fighting against each other to ensure that they achieved their aims and objectives, however obscure they were. When these wars finally came to an end in the late 1990s, they left the successor states of Yugoslavia in dire economic hardships from which it took them years to recover. There is wide agreement, however, that th e cause of the Yugoslav war was as a result of the development of Serbian nationalism in a state which was ethnically diverse hence the wars of self-determination that resulted. One would suggest that it was the Serbian religious mythology, extreme nationalism, and racist theories which contributed to the occurrence of the war in Yugoslavia. ... The Serbians were the dominant people within the Yugoslav federation and if this state were to collapse, then they would be the biggest losers since their influence over the other ethnic groups in the federation. After Slobodan Milosevic became the Serb leader and by default the leader of the Yugoslav federation in 1987 after a difficult struggle against more powerful member of his party, he encouraged Serb nationalism not only in Serbia but also in the other states in which large Serb communities lived (Vladisavljevic 183). When Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 these three states came to be recognized at the international level and this did not sit well with the government in Belgrade. In the same year as these states declared their independence, there followed fierce fighting between the mainly Serb Yugoslavian army and Croatia in Belgrade’s attempt to hang on to some of the territories in Croatia and when this was not successful , it turned its attention to territory in Bosnia. A sign of the escalation of war took place in 1992 when the Serb army started shelling the National Library of Bosnia-Herzegovina in Sarajevo and in the process, over a million books, more than a hundred thousand manuscripts and rare books, and centuries of historical records were destroyed. Many historians who have studied this period consider this move to have been a systematic campaign of cultural eradication. In one of the events that took place during the war, Serb troops and paramilitary units descended on the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and began shelling it besieging civilians within it. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the town which consisted of French