The role of uncertainty in the transmission of monetary policy effects Essay - 1

The role of uncertainty in the transmission of monetary policy effects on bank lending - Essay Example It is also shown that the weak, small & intermediate-sized banks tend to lend more than their stronger counterparts, during the time of higher uncertainty (Gatev and Strahan, 2003, pp.867-892). Apart from what is mentioned under bank lending channel, according to Bernanke and Gertler, it also examines the following: a key assumption is that bank is not able to easily replace lost deposits with the other source of funds, such as new equity issue or certificate of deposits (CDs). For several reasons, this assumption was correct for the United States before 1980. First reason is that, Federal Reserve imposed a â€Å"Regulation Q†, which placed a ceiling on the interest rates that bank could pay. Bank does not have any means of competing for funds and therefore suffered sharp reduction in deposits, when the interest rates of open market went above the ceiling. Second, reserve requirement were more difficult at that time than it is today and thirdly, markets for bank liabilities were less developed and less liquid than they are now (Bernanke and Gertler, 1995, pp.40-41). The statement in page number 5 that the reduction in observed lending is not due to a reduction in loan demand, but due to the reduction in loan supply is false. Rather, it reflects that the reduction in the quantity of loan is due to the decrease in loan demand and the reduction in loan supply (Kashyap and et al, 1993, p.79). One more fact is not mentioned: it takes into account the IS-LM model which states that there are only two financial assets, i.e. money and bonds and when the conditions where all distinctions between securities and bank loan can be ignored are not satisfied, then there are three assets, i.e. money, bank loans and securities. This model also states that monetary policy always operates through liability side of banks’ balance sheet, but the

Deforestation and the effects on the environment with philosophical Essay

Deforestation and the effects on the environment with philosophical theoretical issues - Essay Example Current paper focuses on the expansion of deforestation as a critical environmental problem in countries internationally. Emphasis is given on the potential explanation of deforestation using appropriate philosophical approaches. As already noted, deforestation affects all aspects of life; its evaluation could be therefore initiated using philosophy, which has highly contributed in the explanation of critical social phenomena, such as the response of individuals to environmental threats. It is made clear that deforestation can be explained using philosophy, but the assumptions made can be differentiated under the influence of the local social ethics and beliefs but also the level of the willingness of the local government to guarantee the protection of natural environment. In any case, it seems that the expansion of deforestation is difficult to be controlled, even if appropriate initiatives are developed for urging individuals to respond dynamically to the particular problem. In acc ordance with a relevant study, ‘between the years 1950 and 1982 tropical forests worldwide shrank by between 25% and 40%’ (Babin 2004, p.63). ... This is the economic aspect of deforestation. It seems that the most important effects of deforestation are not related to the market. Indeed, forests can secure biodiversity and help towards ‘the regulation of climate’ (Montagnini 2005, p.115). At the same time, forests are valuable in controlling floods and keeping carbon at low levels (Montagnini 2005). In the study of Goudie (2006) reference is made to the role of forests in controlling the flow of river water, keeping the temperature of the water at a specific level and affecting the ingredients of stream water. Indeed, in accordance with the above researcher, forests help in the development of a chemistry process through which the ingredients of stream water are secured, at the level that the forests are ‘important sources of nutrients’ (Goudie 2006, p.152). The aesthetic aspect of forests cannot be ignored. At the same time, forests are used as areas of leisure, enhancing the relationship between the humans and the natural environment. However, their value is often disregarded. Strong financial interests promote deforestation with no prior planning, leading, among other consequences, to severe turbulences on climate worldwide. As Montagnini (2005) notes the development of deforestation internationally reveals the inability of governments to introduce effective plans in regard to sustainability and management of natural resources. Moreover, the expansion of deforestation indicates the lack of willingness to control economic interests of multinationals, which hold the major responsibility for the radical increase of deforestation the last decade. From this point of view, deforestation cannot

Waste management in India Essay

Waste management in India Essay INTRODUCTION India is the second most populated country a second fastest growing economy in the world. From the period of 2001-2026 the population of India is to increase from 1030 million to 1400 million, if we consider the increase rate to be 1.2 % annually then there will be an increase of 36% in 2026.accordingly about 285 million live in urban areas and about 742 million live in rural areas. (Census of India, 2001).In India urbanisation is becoming more because people are moving from villages to cities and there is a rapid increase in population in the metropolitan cities .Mumbai is the largest populated city followed by New Delhi and Kolkata. Generally, the greater the economic prosperity and the higher the percentage of urban population, the greater is the amount of solid waste produced (Hoornweg and Laura, 1999). In Hoornweg and Laura, 1999 1996 about 114,576 tonnes/day of municipal solid waste was generated by the urban population of India, by the end of 2026 it is predicted to increase to 440,460tonnes/day This great increase in the amount of MSW generated is due to changing lifestyle and living standards urban population(Hoornweg and Laura, 1999). STUDY AREA Delhi is a very densely populated area and is the capital of India. Since Delhi is an urbanised city the annual growth rate is increasing very rapidly in the last decade the growth rate has increased by 3.85%. Delhi is the capital of India this tells us that it is the centre for commerce trade and power, since it is one of the largest cities and the capital it produces excellent job opportunities, which account for its rapid increase in its population and increased pace of urbanization. Due to the fast urbanisation and the growing population the production of municipal solid waste is also increasing very rapidly. According to a survey Delhi generates about 7000 tonnes/day of municipal solid waste and this municipal waste is to ride about 17000-25000 tonnes/day by the year 2026.due to the rapid increase in the population and municipal solid waste the disposal of the waste has become a great head ache for the municipality in Delhi. Out of the waste gathered only 70-80% of municipal sol id waste is collected while the remaining is dumped onto streets or open ditches. Out of the 70-805 collected only 9% of the collected municipal solid waste is treated by composting the remaining is sent to the land fill sites. New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB) are three municipal entities responsible for MSW management in Delhi. (Vikash Talyan, R.P. Dahiya, 2008). IDENTIFICATION OF SOURCES, TYPES AND COMPOSITION OF MUNCIPAL SOLID WASTE IN DELHI Sources and types of solid waste in Delhi: Residential:-the residence might be single family or multiple family dwellers the types of waste they produce are paper, food wastes , cardboard , leather, yard wastes, textiles, glass, special wastes, metals, plastics , ashes, wood and household hazardous wastes. Industrial: industries produce ashes, food wastes, packaging, special wastes, housekeeping wastes, construction and demolition materials and hazardous wastes. Commercial Institutional: they produce wood, metals, cardboard, glass, special wastes, Paper, food wastes, hazardous wastes. Municipal services: landscape and tree trimmings, Street sweepings, general wastes from beaches, parks, and other recreational areas, sludge. (Hoornweg, Daniel with Laura Thomas. 1999) Composition of waste: The population of Delhi is 13.9 million, and they produce 7000 tonnes/day of municipal solid waste at the rate of 0.500 kg/capital/day and accordingly the population as well as the MSW in increasing by 2026 the municipal solid waste generated will increase to 17,000-25,000 tonnes/day. Because of the increase in the MSW the municipal body will face a lot of problem after composting and incineration they would still have to deal with a lot of waste and this waste would generally go to landfill sites. The characterisation of the waste by its type, composition and source is important this will make monitoring and management of solid waste easy. Based on this we can use different types of processes to dispose the solid waste. The following information will tell about the generation of MSW from various sources is Delhi in the year 2004. Source wise generation of the MSW (tonnes/day) in Delhi Sources MSW(Tonnes/day) Residential waste 3010 Industrial waste 502 Hospital waste 107 Main shopping centres 1017 Construction waste 382 Vegetable and fruit markets 538 Source 🙠 MCD, 2004) The Tata Energy Research Institute conducted a study in 2002 in Delhi to determine the physical and chemical composition of municipal solid waste. This study in 2002 tells us that the composition of MSW is not changed that much from the past decade. According to the study the major part of the MSW consists of biodegradables fallowed by other wastes. Physical composition (as wt. %) of MSW Chemical composition (as wt. %) of MSW Parameters 2002 Biodegradable 38.6 Inert 34.7 Glass and Crockery 1.0 Paper 5.6 Non-biodegradable 13.9 Plastic 6.0 Parameters 2002 Moisture 43.8 Phosphorus as P2O5 0.3 Organic carbon 20.5 nitrogen 0.9 C/N ratio 24.1 Calorific value (kCal/kg) 713.0 Source 🙠 TERI, 2002) The composition of MSW of an urban population depends on various factors like place location, climate, commercial activities, population, cultural activities, economic status if the residence and urban structure .Before we do anything we need to know the composition of the MSW so we can determine the best suited operations and equipment for the facilities that dispose of the MSW. There was a survey conducted by Municipal Corporation of Delhi to evaluate the composition and properties of MSW. This study involved the different places in Delhi where MSW was produces. The following table tells the details of the study Composition (as wt. %) of MSW generating from various sources in Delhi Parameters Food waste Recyclables Inert Others Moisture Ash content C/N ratio Lower CV (kcal/kg) Higher CV Residential waste                            1.low income group 58.4 15.7 22.8 3.1 54 21.8 39 754-2226 2238-4844 2. Middle income group 76.6 21.2 0.5 1.7 65 6.3 30 732-1939 3415-6307 3.High income group 71.9 23.1 0.3 4.7 59 10.9 31 1300-1887 4503-5359 4. JJ Clusters (Slums) 69.4 14.1 15.8 0.7 63 15.6 46 204-1548 1582-4912 Vegetable markets 97.2 2.3 0.5 76 3.3 16 0-1309 3083-4442 Institutional areas 59.7 33.8 4 2.5 50 6.7 35 129-3778 2642-5459 Streets 28.4 12 56.1 3.5 19 56.7 51 1007-2041 1188-3289 Commercial areas 15.6 68 16.4 18 8.8 158 1815-4593 3373-6185 Landfills 73.7 9.2 10.8 6.3 47 15.3 38 191-4495 2042-5315 Source :- (MCD, 2004) RELEVANT REGULATIONS FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA The major policies and legislative frameworks for the municipal solid waste management in Delhi are Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000: according to this policy there is a set process for the collection, sorting, storage, transportation and disposal of the MSW. The Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 and Amendment Rules, 2003:- bio-medical waste should be treated according to the standards of schedule v. The Delhi plastic bag (Manufacture, Sales and Usage) And Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 2000: according to this plastic bags should be recycled and non-degradable plastic bags should not be dumped in public drains. Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 and Amendment Rules, 2000 and 2003:-there are limitations for the import and export of hazardous wastes and there should be proper handling and management of hazardous waste. (Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2000) MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGENENT IN DELHI Primary collection and storage of MSW in Delhi According to the Delhi municipal corporation act 1957 the owners, tenants or the person who is occupying the residence, commercial or industrial area is responsible for the disposal of the MSW at a particular area provided by the municipal corporation. But this rule was changed in 2000 which stated that the collection of MSW would be from house to house because of this rule the municipality cooperation faced a lot of problem due to the rise in population as well as residential houses so doth the systems are being applied to collect MSW. The municipal cooperation of Delhi is getting awareness programs to help the citizens understand the need of segregating the municipal solid waste by placing two separate bins one for recycling materials and the other non-recycling materials. By doing this the municipality is reducing the work load and they can dispose of the material in an easy way without any fuss. The municipal authority has a schedule for the collection of the waste example a part icular area will have a particular day for the collection of MSW. The Delhi municipal authority provides a primary storage facilities like dustbins, metal containers that have different capacities ranging from 1m3 ,4m3,10m3 to 12-15 tonnes these containers are placed in locations that are easily accusable to people. The size of the containers that are place at a primary storage location depends on the amount of MSW being produced by the area and the population of the area. These metal containers and bins are emptied with the help of modern hydraulic collection trucks. In Delhi on an average there are 3-4 collection sites. The MCD has employed about 50,000 people for primary storage collection, 2600 for secondary storage collection and about 370 people foe sweeping the streets. (Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2000) Transportation The MCD has many vehicles for the collection of primary and secondary storage waste. The MSD in its fleet contains refuse removal trucks, tractors and loaders they have about 100 vehicles to do the job. What these vehicles do is they collect the waste and take them to the landfill sites. Recycling and re-use Recycling and re-use of MSW is done in a widespread manner where waste pickers are employed as well as there are self employed waste pickers who collect the waste and sell them. How the system works is that these waste pickers and waste collectors gather waste from the residential areas, commercial areas, streets and landfill sites and they sell them to the dealers these dealers range from small, medium and large dealers. After the dealers purchase the materials they are sent to the recycling plant that is established by the government. The following table tells us at what rate the materials are sold (Ankit agarwal, Ashish Singhmar, 2004) Prices of recyclable materials at different recycling levels Recyclable material Recyclable material Price at small recyclable dealer (Rs.) Price at medium recyclable dealer (Rs.) Price at large recyclable dealer (Rs.) Value added in the Process (%) Plastic             PET bottles 1.75 2.25-2.50 3.75-4 121 Milk packets 5.5-6.5 6-7 8-8.50 37.5 Hard plastic like shampoo bottles, caps 7-7.25 9 10-10.5 41 Plastic thread, fibres, ropes, chair cane 6-7 8-8.50 10 67 Plastic cups and glasses 7-8 10-12 13-14 80 Paper             White paper 3-3.25 3.75-4 5-6 76 Mix shredded paper 2-2.25 2.25-2.50 3-3.25 47 Cartons and brown packing Papers 2.25 2.50 3 33 Fresh newspaper 3-3.50 3.25-3.75 4.50-4.75 42 Tetra pack 1.75-2 2-2.25 2.75-3 53 Glass             Broken glass 0.50 0.90-1    90 Bottles 2 2.25-2.50    19 Aluminium             Beer and cold drink cans 40-45 43-48 75-85 88 Deodorant, scent cans 42-45 55-60 90-95 113 Aluminium foil 20-22 25-27 30-32 48 Other metals             Steel utensils 20-22 25-27 30 43 Copper wire 70-75 80-85 95-100 35 Source 🙠 Ankit agarwal, Ashish Singhmar, 2004) Composting: Coming to composting only 9% of the total MSW is composted the remaining 91% is sent to landfill sites. There are three places set up by the Delhi municipal authority for composting MSW where as two plants are set up at Okhala and the other one is set up at Bhalswa .These plant has a treatment capacity of 150 tonnes/day but they are not utilised to the fullest because of the cost. The treatment capacity of the plant at Bhalswa is 500 tonnes/day. (Vikash Talyan, R.P. Dahiya, 2008) Incineration: The municipal cooperation of Delhi also tried incarnation they built an incineration plant with the help of a foreign company. But this was shut down immediately because the MSW did not have enough calorific value the minimum calorific value is between 1200-1400 kcal/kg. (Vikash Talyan, R.P. Dahiya, 2008). Final disposal of MSW: Of the total amount of MSW collected 91% is sent to landfill. These landfill sites are located at the outskirts of the city. The land fill sites are the nearest available low line area or waste lands. The transfer of the MSW to these sites is by the vehicles that the Delhi municipality has. These landfill sites are chosen based only on availability and not on any other reason. These landfill sites are poorly maintained which arises a problem of health and safety as well as environmental concerns. There is another big issue because of the poor maintenance of the landfill sites there is a lot of leachate that is being produced mostly in the rainy season due to which the ground water as well as the river next to the landfill sites is getting contaminated. At these landfill sites with the help of bulldozers the MSW is levelled and compressed. The MSW is compressed to a layer of 2-5m and a covering is provided. At the binging there were 20 landfill sites that were created by the Delhi mun icipality out of which 15 are exhausted already. At present there are 3 landfill sites that are being operated one is at Gazipur it was started in 1984 , the other landfill site is located at Bhalswa it was started in 1993 ,the last operating land fill site is located in Okhala it was started in 1994. (Vikash Talyan, R.P. Dahiya, 2008). HEALTH AND SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS Health and safety and environmental risks are a major concern in the MSW management in Delhi. The workers as well as the waste pickers are not provided with proper health and safety equipment like boots and gloves. The working conditions are unhygienic .the chance of transfer of infection is high and because of this if a worker gets sick he loses his wages. The workers are also not provided with medical insurance. The environmental risk is also high because the landfill sites are not maintained properly and the leachate gets leaked into the underground water as well as the river Yamuna .these issues should be looked into very carefully. IMPROVEMENT We can improve these poor conditions by privatisation. We can let the private sectors help in the disposal of MSW. The Delhi municipal authorities can open the incineration plant and dispose the waste. They can also involve the local communities as well as the NGOs to help in the disposal of waste. The municipal authorities should identify a proper treatment technology. The authorities should increase standards of reuse and recycling of waste mainly composting. CONCLUSION With the rapid increase in population and fast urbanisation of Delhi the current policies and regulations want be sufficient for controlling the rapid increase in the MSW. Due to this the health and safety as well as the environmental risks are increasing .The municipal authorities of Delhi cannot keep up with the MSW that is being produced now but according to a prediction the MSW by 2026 is going to increase 4 folds if this happens the municipal authorities will be facing a lot of problem. Even the Delhi government has realised this and they are making changes in the form of master plans. The government is also approaching the public and private sectors for help like the citizens and the NGOs. First of all people should be educated on proper disposal of MSW. The government should see to that the master plans are being properly followed at all levels. Only by doing this the Delhi municipal authorities can keep the MSW in control. Referencing Ankit agarwal, Ashish Singhmar, 2004. Municipal solid waste recycling and associated markets in Delhi, India. Resources, Conservation and Recycling Census of India,.2001 . Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (GoI). [Online].available http://www.censusindia.net Hoornweg, Daniel with Laura Thomas. 1999. Working Paper Series Nr. 1. Urban Development Sector Unit. East Asia and Pacific Region. Page 5. [Online] http://web.mit.edu/urbanupgrading/urbanenvironment/sectors/solid-waste-sources.html. Hoornweg, D., Laura, T., 1999. What a waste: solid management in Asia. Working Paper Series No. 1. Urban Development Sector Unit, East Asia and Pacific Region, the World Bank, Washington, DC MCD, 2004. Feasibility study and master plan report for optimal solid waste treatment and disposal for the entire state of Delhi based on public and private partnership solution, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi, India. Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2000.the gazette of India. [Online]. Available http://envfor.nic.in/legis/hsm/mswmhr.html TERI, 2002.Performance Measurements of Pilot Cities, Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Vikash Talyan, R.P. Dahiya, 2008. State of municipal solid waste management in Delhi, the capital of India, Waste ManagementVolume 28, Issue 7, 2008, Pages 1276-1287 waste management essay in 150 words

The Nature of Evil Essay -- Morality

Evil is the violation of a moral code. Evil is the dualistic opposite of good. Evil causes harm. While scattered dictionaries may offer these clear-cut definitions, in reality a theme so prevalent in all spheres of life from the dawn of man takes on limitless forms. The word itself has come to symbolize the dividing line between regular people and callous monsters; demonic criminals who show no sign of compassion and no adherence to virtue. Ideas concerning evil have been strung along through the schools of theology, the minds of society, and the theories of philosophy throughout the history of mankind. The dichotomy between the opposing ideas of good and evil sets apart a gray area ignored by the black and white view of morality. In this gray area, reason, incentive, and relativism come into light. It is only when one investigates the meaning of evil from religious, social, and philosophical vantage points that they may truly discover the nature of evil. In religion, the concepts of good and evil refer to a range of objects, desires, and behaviors which constitute morally positive and morally negative consequences on a spiritual level. Good is a broad concept typically comprised by associations with charity, happiness, love, and prosperity. Evil, on the other hand, can represent deliberate wrongdoing, actions designed to harm others, humiliation of people with the intent to diminish their needs and dignity, and acts of violence. Although each major religion varies in its distinctions of the two conceptions of morality, good and bad are cultural universals originating from Pre-Socratic philosophical notions. Morality in its absolute sense can be traced back to the dialogues of Plato. Book IV of Plato’s â€Å"Republic† ... ...ed on their experiences. Works Cited Eagleton, Terry. "The Nature Of Evil." Tikkun 26.1 (2011): 80-94. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Formosa, Paul. "Kant On The Radical Evil Of Human Nature." Philosophical Forum 38.3 (2007): 221-245. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. Thomas Aquinas, SUMMA THEOLOGICA, translated by the Fathers of the English Dominician Province (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1947) Volume 3, q. 72, a. 1, p. 902 Hans Schwarz, Evil: A Historical and Theological Perspective (Lima, Ohio: Academic Renewal Press, 2001): 42–43 Gaymon Bennett, Ted Peters, Martinez J. Hewlett, Robert John Russell (2008). "The evolution of evil". Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p.318. Parry, Richard D. "Morality And Happiness: Book IV Of Plato's Republic." Journal Of Education 178.3 (1996): 31. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.

The Battle of Shiloh

The American Civil War began on April 9, 1861, with the Battle of Fort Sumter, between the Northern United States of America and the Southern Confederate States of America. It was never too clear until the Battle of Shiloh, won by the Union, as to who had the upper hand, in the war between the states. The Battle of Shiloh could easily be termed the turning point for the Union. It was at Shiloh – the place of peace, that history witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil war.It was also one of the most controversial battles, with General Ulysses Grant taking the hit for inadequate planning, which resulted in a carnage, that killed over 10,000 soldiers on either side. The Battle of Shiloh, otherwise called the Battle of Pittsburgh Landing, took place on April 6th and 7th, 1862, at Hardin County, Tennessee. Commander Ulysses S Grant and Don Carlos Buell led the Union, while Albert Sidney Johnston and P G T Beauregard led the Confederates.The death of Johnston, i n the course of the battle, is said to be a major factor behind the Union victory. The Union had the Army of West Tennessee and Ohio with nearly 65,000 soldiers, while the Confederates were backed by the Army of the Mississippi with around 45,000 soldiers. After the bloody and brutal battle, the Union realized that the war was not going to be easy. The essay will walk down the historical lane and trace the events which shaped the Battle of Shiloh. The commandersAbraham Lincon once said, â€Å"I cannot spare the man. He fights. † That about sums up Commander Ulysses S Grants character. He was the son of a hard-working frontier family. Grant fought his first battle, an indecisive action against the Confederates at Belmont, Missouri, in November 1861. Three months later, he captured Fort Donelson and Fort Henry. Grant was made a national figure almost overnight, and he was nicknamed â€Å"Unconditional Surrender† Grant. He brought the same enthusiasm to the Battle of Shil oh, but did not fare so well there.The high number of casualties was deemed unnecessary and Grant’s decision-making powers were questioned. However he managed to defend himself and went on to become the 18th president of the USA (MSN Encarta, 2006). Everybody thought Albert Johnston the best soldier in the country; that was before the war. He had a gaudy career in the army after West Point (1826). After some peacetime soldiering he quit to care for his dying wife, then moved to Texas to start over.When Texas decided on independence he enlisted as a soldier and in a year he was commanding the whole Texan forces. He was the second most senior officer in the Confederate forces. His immediate appointment was to secure and organize the western theater. He took the initiative against the Union forces that had stopped to reorganize and resupply. Johnston led from the front but was shot in the process. It was his concern for the other wounded soldiers and a disregard for his own woun ds, which caused him to bleed to death (ehistory, 2007).The weapons and methods Neither side fought the Battle of Shiloh with its soldiers armed with the most modern weapons available. In one of the few times during the American Civil War, the Union did not enjoy an advantage of superior infantry weapons. There was no formal artillery command and control function for either side. The infantry commanders controlled their own artillery or left its employment up to the battery officers. This made massing artillery fires difficult.Massed fires of more than 25 cannon only occurred three times during the battle. Two of the massed artillery firings proved decisive: Ruggles’ bombardment at the Hornet’s Nest and Grant’s last line at Pittsburg Landing. The artillery officers for each side were inexperienced and attempted to use antiquated Napoleonic tactics. The commmaders were aware that half their soldiers were ‘green,’ that their weapons were obsolete and that there was hardly any planning involved.The battle hinged on the element of surprise. Both the commanders felt they had a good chance of winning and if Grant’s army was not fortified overnight, the results of the battle could have been different (Gudmens, 1960). The doctrine used by this particular battle and that of the marine corps today is similar. Both use speed, surprise, and concentrated force to achieve maximum impact with minimal expenditure of resources. (Santamaria, 2003) The battle reportThe foundation for the Battle of Shiloh was laid in February 1862, when a Union army-navy offensive succeeded in capturing Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, located respectively on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, near the Tennessee-Kentucky border. The fall of the two forts initiated a series of Union triumphs that left the Confederacy struggling for life. The Confederate defensive line across southern Kentucky immediately collapsed, and the southern forces retreated from nort hern Tennessee to Alabama and Mississippi.The capture of Fort Henry opened the Tennessee River to Federal penetration to the Alabama and Mississippi state lines. Forces under Major General Ulysses S Grant advanced south to Pittsburg Landing, located on the west bank of the Tennessee River, about twenty miles north of Corinth, Mississippi. That put Union forces dangerously close to the Confederacy's most important east-west railroad, the Memphis and Charleston line, which made a junction at Corinth with the north-south Mobile and Ohio.If the Union army, designated the Army of the Tennessee, captured Corinth, not only would the Federals control the railroad, but Memphis would likely fall and open several hundred miles of the Mississippi River to Union forces. By late March, Major General Henry W Halleck ordered Buell and his Army of the Ohio to join Grant for an offensive against Corinth. Meanwhile, the Confederates concentrated their forces at Corinth in order to stop the Union advan ce before Buell could reinforce Grant.Their effort culminated in the battle of Shiloh, named for the Shiloh Methodist Church, located near the Union encampment (McDonough, 2002). After the fall of Forts – Henry and Donelson, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston, was forced to fall back, giving up Kentucky and much of West and Middle Tennessee. He chose Corinth, Mississippi, a major transportation center, as the staging area for an offensive against Major General Ulysses S Grant and his Army of the Tennessee, before the Army of the Ohio, under Major General Don Carlos Buell, could join it.The Confederate retrenchment was a surprise, although a pleasant one, to the Union forces, and it took Grant, with about 40,000 men, some time to mount a southern offensive, along the Tennessee River, toward Pittsburg Landing. Grant received orders to await Buell’s Army of the Ohio at Pittsburg Landing. Grant did not choose to fortify his position; rather, he set about drilling h is men many of whom were raw recruits. Johnston originally planned to attack Grant on April 4, but delays postponed it until the 6th.Johnston had been mortally wounded earlier and his second-in-command, General P G T Beauregard, took over (Battle of Shiloh, 2006). The Confederates, after being forced back from their first line, established a second along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, where they concentrated their armies. It was their intention to attack Grant before he was joined by Buell. The Confederates, after making a very brilliant attack, were compelled to retreat.The Memphis and Charleston Railroad was severed by Sherman and by Mitchell, the campaign closing successfully on the national part by the capture of Corinth (Draper, 1868, p 281). On the 8th, Grant sent Brigadier General William T Sherman, with two brigades, and Brigadier General Thomas J Wood, with his division, in pursuit of Beauregard. They ran into the Rebel rearguard, commanded by Colonel Nathan Bedford F orrest, at Fallen Timbers. Forrest’s aggressive tactics, although eventually contained, influenced the Union troops to return to Pittsburg Landing.Grant’s mastery of the Confederate forces continued; he had beaten them once again. (Battle of Shiloh, 2006). Conclusion Measured in physical devastation and human lives, the American Civil War was the costliest war for the Americans. When the war ended, 620,000 men (in a nation of 35 million people) had been killed and at least that many more had been wounded. The North lost a total of 364,000, almost one of five Union soldiers and the South lost 258,000, nearly one of four Confederate soldiers (History Channel, 2007).In a way, the brutal and bloody Battle of Shiloh set the tone for the battles that followed. Though the union won the war, there were too many casualties from either side for it to be a clear victory. Both sides paid heavily in both human life and expenses. The losses reverberated for a long time in the consci ousness of the people of America. Reference Civil War, American. (2007). The History Channel website. Retrieved 12:57, Jan 25, 2007, from http://www. history. com/encyclopedia. do? articleId=205794.Draper, John William (1868). History of the American Civil War. Volume: 2. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers. Gudmens, Jeffery J (1960). Staff Ride Handbook for the Battle of Shiloh. Combat Studies Institute PressFort Leavenworth, Kansas, Retrieved February 1, 2007, from http://www-cgsc. army. mil/carl/download/csipubs/gudmens. pdf McDonough, James L (2002). Battle of Shiloh. In Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture [Web]. Tennessee : University of Tennessee Press. Retrieved 01, 21, 2006, from http://tennesseeencyclopedia. net/imagegallery. php? EntryID=S034Santamaria, Jason A, Martino, Vincent, & Clemons, Eric K (2003). The Marine Corp Way. Mcgraw-Hill Companies. Ohio State University, (2007). Albert S Johnston. Retrieved Febraury 1, 2007, from eHistory Web site: http://ehis tory. osu. edu/uscw/features/people/bio. cfm? PID=45 Ulysses S Grant. (2006). In MSN Encarta [Web]. MSN. Retrieved February, 1, 2007, from http://encarta. msn. com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle. aspx? refid=761555289 US Department of the Interior, National Park Service. (2006, 04, 13). Battle of Shiloh. Retrieved January 20, 2007, from Web site: http://www. cr. nps. gov/hps/abpp/battles/tn003. htm

Sound and Images, the Culture and the Role of Media

Due to the fast evolution of the technology in the society, there has been an increasing integration of sound and images in the media that people are exposed to. The film industry started only with moving images. Later on, as technology progressed, it became possible for sound to be integrated to it, making the experience of watching these movies more pleasurable. Naturally, the integration of sound and images also helps create a greater level of the believability of the movies that people watch. This means that people are able now to suspend their disbelief more easily and immerse themselves into the movies that they are watching. The message that images carry in this regard become more pronounced since they are able to manipulate sound as well. Given the joining of these disjointed features of film that may be generated in different times and in different locations, such an interaction of sound, space, and image reinforce the postmodernism ethos already affecting media, culture and the awareness of people around the world (Darley, 2000). The recent innovations in sound and image integration also give power to the visual digital culture being propagated among young people nowadays. A lot of media platform use this integration such as music videos, film, video games, and other platforms. With the changes in digital visual culture, there has been a change in the way that story, representation, and meaning are being presented to the audience. This is remarkably different from the way that traditional visual culture enhances the experience of audience (Darley, 2000). Audiences now are more critical of style, sensation and image performance. According to Frith, Goodwin, and Grossberg (1993), studying sound and image would require the serious student of mass communication to look into the nature of music television and the way it shapes perceptions among people young and old. Music videos, particularly, are making it possible for young people to redefine their styles and their views. Such approach would of course take a look at particular aspects of the development of young people’s personalities and views. In this kind of analysis, psychology and sociology come into the fore to analyze the impact of sound and image integration into the lives of those who adhere to this form of media. Modern video, with its integration of music and sound is now emerging as an important platform of mass media being analyzed by mass communication practitioners and theorists in the world today. The role of sound and image in this area of media production cannot be discounted. As such, these two platforms become carriers of meaning, which can be more easily understood by viewers and audiences alike (Cubitt, 1993). With sound and image, the practice of the imagination to recreate a place or a scene in the mind is no longer needed. In fact, since the setting, the actions in question, and the dialogues of the characters are played out as clearly as possible, little is left in the imagination as to how it could have occurred otherwise. With books in the form of novel and short stories, the viewers participate in the creation of virtual worlds in their minds. The way that the protagonist looks and how he speaks are all objects of imagination which he has to recreate based on the text that he reads. With image and sound, however, this is done away with. He just have to keep his eyes wide open and ears listening and he will understand what is being played out in the movies or shows that he is watching and enjoying. The emergence of video where sound and image interaction is already a given also has an important impact on how people make sense of themselves as members of the society and as individuals trying to make sense of their world. Through the movies and shows that they watch, new variables and ways of looking at things are being brought to the fore. Where will these mediations lead them? Do these mediations lead to a better understanding of their lives and their world? Or do they introduce new practices and views that undermine the prevalent understanding regarding their world and their environment (Cubitt, 1993). Through these videos also, there are cultural practices that are evolving. Such practices help artists and their audience find expressions for their passions and the way in which sound and image interact in creating cultural items. These movies and shows then carry cultural weight with them, which can fill the curiosity of students of mass communication for years to come. Conclusion People never imagined that image and sound can attain the heights that they have already achieved so far. There are still advancements along the way. Whatever forms of progress this will take, for sure, videography, and the way that sound, image, and motion interact with each other will challenge traditional perspectives in trying to understand mass media and the impact that it exerts on the development of the culture of society. These changes may be little but they are all significant. Reference Campbell, R., Martin, C. R., & Fabos, B. (Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Bedford: St. Martin’s Press. Cubitt, S. (1993). Videography: Video Media as Art and Culture. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Darley, A. (2000). Visual Digital Culture: Surface Play and Spectacle in New Media Genres. London: Routledge. Frith, S., Goodwin, A. & Grossberg, L. (1993). Sound and Vision: The Music Video Reader. London: Routledge. Â   Â   Â