Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Requirements to Become President of the U.S.

Prerequisites to Become President of the U.S. What are the sacred prerequisites and capabilities to fill in as leader of the United States? Disregard the nerves of steel, the moxy, the foundation and range of abilities, the gathering pledges network,â and the armies of steadfast people who concur with your position on all the issues. Just to get into the game, you need to ask: How old would you say you are and where were you conceived? The U.S. Constitution Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution forces just three qualification necessities on people filling in as president, in light of the officeholder’s age, time of residency in the U.S., and citizenship status: No individual aside from a characteristic conceived Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the hour of the Adoption of this Constitution, will be qualified to the Office of President; neither will any individual be qualified to that Office who will not have accomplished the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident inside the United States. These necessities have been changed twice. Under the twelfth Amendment, a similar three capabilities were applied to the VP of the United States. The 22nd Amendment restricted office holders to two terms as president. Age Limits In setting the base age of 35 for filling in as president, contrasted with 30 for legislators and 25 for agents, the designers of the Constitution actualized their conviction that the individual holding the nation’s most noteworthy chosen office ought to be an individual of development and experience. As early Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story noticed, the character and ability of a moderately aged individual are completely evolved, permitting them a more prominent chance to have encountered â€Å"public service† and to have served â€Å"in the open councils.† Home While an individual from Congress need just be a â€Å"inhabitant† of the state the individual speaks to, the president more likely than not been an occupant of the U.S. for in any event 14 years. The Constitution, be that as it may, is ambiguous on this point. For instance, it doesn't clarify whether those 14 years should be continuous or the exact meaning of residency. On this, Justice Story composed, by habitation, in the Constitution, is to be comprehended, not a flat out inhabitancy inside the United States during the entire time frame; yet such an inhabitancy, as remembers a lasting house for the United States. Citizenship So as to be qualified to fill in as president, an individual should either have been conceived on U.S. soil or (whenever brought into the world abroad) to at any rate one parent who is a resident. The Framers obviously proposed to avoid any opportunity of remote impact from the most noteworthy authoritative situation in the government. John Jay felt so unequivocally on the issue that he sent a letter to George Washington in which he requested that the new Constitution require a solid check to the confirmation of Foreigners into the organization of our national Government; and to pronounce explicitly that the Commander in Chief of the American armed force will not be given to nor lapse on, any however a characteristic conceived Citizen. Incomparable Court Justice Story would later compose that the common conceived citizenship prerequisite â€Å"cuts off all odds for driven outsiders, who may some way or another be interesting for the office.† Under the old English precedent-based law standard of jus soli, all people other than offspring of adversary outsiders or remote representatives conceived inside the outskirts of a nation are viewed as residents of that nation from birth. Accordingly, the vast majority conceived inside the United States-including the offspring of undocumented workers are â€Å"natural brought into the world citizens† lawfully qualified to fill in as president under the Citizenship Clause of the fourteenth Amendment, which states, â€Å"All people conceived or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the purview thereof, are residents of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.†  Less obvious, in any case, is whether youngsters brought into the world abroad to United States residents are comparatively â€Å"natural brought into the world citizens† and qualified to fill in as president. Since 1350, the British Parliament has applied the standard of jus sanguinis, which holds that infant youngsters acquire the citizenship of their folks, paying little mind to the spot of birth. In this manner, it isn't amazing that when Congress authorized the first U.S. naturalization law in 1790, that law pronounced that â€Å"the offspring of residents of the United States, that might be conceived past the ocean, or out of the constraints of the United States, will be considered as normal conceived citizens.†  â â In any case, the topic of whether the term â€Å"natural conceived Citizen† utilized in the Presidential Eligibility Clause of Article II consolidates both the parliamentary guideline of jus sanguinis notwithstanding the customary law rule of jus soli. In the 1898 instance of United States v. Wong Kim Ark the U.S. Incomparable Court decided that citizenship through jus sanguinis, while accessible by resolution, was not accessible through the fourteenth Amendment. Today, in any case, most established specialists contend that the Presidential Eligibility Clause of Article II incorporates both jus sanguinis and jus soli, so George Romney, who was conceived in Mexico to American guardians was qualified to run for president in 1968. Presidential Trivia and Controversies John F. Kennedy was theâ youngest personâ to be chosen president; he was 43 years of age when he was introduced in 1961.There is no most extreme age limit set out in the Constitution. Ronald Reaganâ was theâ oldest president; toward the finish of his term in 1988, he was about 77.A number of presidential hopefuls have had their citizenship addressed throughout the years. During the 2016 battle, Donald Trump charged Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who was conceived in Canada to an American mother and Cuban-conceived father, of not being qualified for the presidency.The appointment of President Barack Obama in 2008, whose father was Kenyan, incited various legislators to require the introduction of an up-and-comers birth declaration at the time that the person documents for candidacy. Martin Van Buren was the primary president to be brought into the world after the American Revolution, making him the main genuine American to serve.Virginia has created a greater number of presidents-eight- than some other state. Be that as it may, five of those men were brought into the world before autonomy. On the off chance that you tally just people brought into the world after the American Revolution, at that point the respect goes to Ohio, which has created seven pioneers. Political race Day was built up by Congress in 1845 as the principal Tuesday after the main Monday in November. Before that, each state set its own date for decisions.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Best War Ever essays

The Best War Ever papers Speedy, what is your preferred war? On the off chance that you are in any way similar to the American masses, you are probably going to state World War II. During wartime America was viewed as at its prime. America industry was blasting, American troopers were the most grounded on earth, and the country was joined as a very much incorporated family. These pictures, which were additionally glamorized by Hollywood and the media, incited individuals to build up a positive perspective on the war for a considerable length of time to come. In spite of these convictions, World War II really was not such an extraordinary war. To give World War II the subtle title of the best war ever, we should disregard the bombings and the abhorrent facing conflicts while overstating just the beneficial things. In his book The Best War Ever, Michael C.C. Adams moves the peruser to scrutinize their contemplations and encounters relating to America and World War II. A great many people don't have direct understanding and go just by what they have seen and gotten notification from the media, which makes the outcome a tidied up, cosmetically upgraded rendition of reality(Adams 9). Adams endeavors to expose the legends relating to the misguided judgment of captivating fight conditions, the best battling weapons, and an ideal home front so as to show that World War II misses the mark regarding being recognized as the Great War. The principal legend relating to the war manages the characteristically delineated cheerful warrior. The United States Army was thought of as the most developed in battling capacity, weapons, and evidently held to a better quality of morals on the front. Since, except for Pearl Harbor, there were no fights battled on American land, Americans were not allowed the chance to see the awful conditions that troopers suffered on the front. The battle warrior was constrained every day to watch his individual man battle to live, pass on, and later rot. Conditions for troopers far surpassed poor. The trooper seldom ate ... <!

Monday, July 27, 2020

hello again

hello again Allow me to (re)introduce myself. My name is Chris Peterson. For those of you who dont know me, Im the new Chris, replacing the old Chris, who replaced me. Its all very straightforward. See, I worked here from 2009-2012, when I went on a somewhat spontaneous years leave to complete my masters degree in Comparative Media Studies. A few weeks ago, on an unseasonably cold and rainy June day, I graduated from MIT, with my friends Elizabeth, Hamsika, Jenny, and others. And there was much rejoicing. The last year was one of the most intense, incredible, challenging and rewarding of my life. I spent almost every day at the Center for Civic Media at the Media Lab. I met brilliant people from across the world and worked on interesting projects. I snacked. I read books. I started doing yoga. I stopped eating junk food. I went to conferences. I went to parties. I went to my room and spent countless hours alone with my research. I wrote. A lot. I wrote snarky essays about Star Wars politics. I wrote heartbroken essays about the Marathon Bombings. I wrote about industrial journalism. I wrote a thesis on user-generated censorship. Sometimes Im surprised I still have words left. Being an MIT student is strange. Its wonderful. Its hard. It took the shape of what I expected and yet was full of stuff Ive never imagined. But the core experience was the people. Every day I spent in the Lab was a day surrounded by brilliant, engaged, motivated people. They took their work seriously without taking themselves seriously. They dont need to: when youre that good, you can wear jeans or blue hair or have a Dr. Who tattoo and no one cares because youre that good. The best compliment we got at Civic all year came from a longtime reporter. Hed recently retired after 40 years at the Boston Globe and spent his Thursdays hanging out in our lab helping out with projects. I asked him why. He told me it was because he loved our energy; the idea that if something wasnt working we could just burn the broken ways down and start something new. He was right. Now Im back. Its strange transitioning back to the office a little like visiting home after studying abroad in a foreign city. Things move at a different pace, with a different flow. Its a change. But its a good change. I still love Admissions. I still love MIT, although being a student has changed the tenor and timbre of that emotion beyond the swooning naiveté of my staff days into the hard-bitten deep seated love of an old married couple bickering over cronuts on the bus. I still believe deeply in the work that we do here. And I look forward to what comes next. More to come soon. But for now: its good to be back.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Case Study Nissan s Operation Management - 1514 Words

After the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami that hit Japan, Nissan was able to recover faster than other leading automobile manufactures, such as Toyota and Honda. Nissan was able to recover so quickly because the company had a crisis plan already in place, which involved international connections, relationships and deals with suppliers. In this essay, Nissan’s operation management functions will be discussed, in addition to the critical path method (CPM) and the program evaluation and review technique (PERT) and how these methods can be fused with the company’s project management. Nissan uses many operation management functions in their business, which includes: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling (Heizer, 3, 4). Nissan’s main operation management function is producing automobiles. The automobile industry is very competitive, so it takes more than just then producing automobiles to be considered a successful corporation. Nissan has shown that it understands the need to continually adjust the design of its auto line, to stay in synch with technology. Furthermore, when a catastrophic event happens, such as the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami that hit Japan, Nissan had pre-planned how it would handle the devastation, while avoiding severe economic losses. Nissan’s recovery plan began with their decentralized supply chain structure. Nissan instilled an organized system of a centralized supply chain, which allowed them to maintain centralized control of theirShow MoreRelatedToyota s Quick Thinking Operations Management Essay824 Words   |  4 PagesManaging Operations In March of 2011, northeastern Japan was struck by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded. The magnitude 9 quake (Oskin, 2015) triggered a devastating tsunami, killing thousands, damaging the country’s infrastructure and paralyzing all private, public, and government entities. 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Just-in-time: Just-in-time is an approach of continuous and forced problem solving through a focus on throughput and reduced inventory. Nissan takes advantage of JIT through reduced inventory levels and relying on a supply chain to deliver the parts needed to build its cars. The major benefit to JIT is that productionRead MoreThe Utilization Of Operations Management Capacities Essay1801 Words   |  8 Pagesassess the utilization of operations management capacities, evaluate in what way economic benefit accomplished, and to investigate the use of service and management of operations at Nissan Motor Company to create significance and maintenance. Nissan is one of the main three Asian automotive manufacturers. Furthermore, the investigated to identify assessment of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and Critical Path Method (CPM) of the company’s project management the routes in which theyRead MoreGlobal Strategic Management : An Organization s Vision, Mission, Policies, Goals, And Objectives Essay3468 Words   |  14 PagesGLOBAL STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION Strategic management is defined as a process where various strategies and several policies are put into action by the development of programs. Through budgets and processes, the objectives of an organization are identified so that the policies and strategies are developed. The chief executive officer and the executive team are tasked with developing such plans. What direct the whole direction of an enterprise is knowns as strategic management. The factors thatRead MoreFdi Report: the Case of Nissan in the Uk Essay1883 Words   |  8 Pagesof this report is to illustrate the motives in relation to firm`s desire to locate some production or other activities in a foreign country. In order to do so, several theories that seek to explain why FDI takes place will be discussed, such as Dunning`s Eclectic Paradigm, Vernon`s Life Cycle model, the Knickerbocker Model and others. Moreover, to evaluate the rationale for FDI, references will be made to the case study of Nissan`s automotive inves tment in North-East England. Theoretical background Read MoreSupplier Development Nissan Cogent Case Essay2823 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿ TITLE PAGE SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT: A NISSAN-COGENT CASE-STUDY (M25EKM) PRESENTED BY EMEKA ANTHONY EKPOKOBA 4664871 TABLE OF CONTENT. Introduction Chapter One: Supplier Development. 1.1: Definitions of Supplier development. 1.2: Organizational structures that support the Supplier development scheme. 1.3: Objectives of entering into a partnership with Suppliers 1.4: The role of Leadership in supporting Supplier Development. 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Das under whose guidance and support I completed my coursework successfully on time. INTRODUCTION The case I am provided with

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Aliens Built the Pyramids - 713 Words

Aliens built the Egyptian pyramids. Recent research supports the theory that the Pyramids were built long before humans inhabited the area now known as Egypt. It is also nearly impossible for the Egyptians to have lifted and moved the limestone brick used to build these massive structures. Only a more advanced form of life could have constructed such an enormous undertaking, while using advanced mathematics and geography that were not yet known to ancient peoples. Archeologists suggest that the large stones used in building the pyramids were transported by rolling them over logs or a wet, slippery, clay surface. These methods may have been effective in moving the blocks close to the building site, but do not explain how the massive†¦show more content†¦It was a number not calculated accurately to the fourth digit until the 6th century. Because of this knowledge, there is no way the Egyptians built the pyramids. According to art historians, the Great Pyramids at Giza we re built sometime between 2601 and 2515 bc. These dates are provided in traditional art history textbooks as beingShow MoreRelatedAliens Built the Pyramids723 Words   |  3 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Aliens built the Egyptian pyramids. Recent research supports the theory that the Pyramids were built long before humans inhabited the area now known as Egypt. It is also nearly impossible for the Egyptians to have lifted and moved the limestone brick used to build these massive structures. Only a more advanced form of life could have constructed such an enormous undertaking, while using advanced mathematics and geography that were not yet known to ancient peoples. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;ArcheologistsRead MoreDoes Proof Exists that Extraterrestrial life Visited Earth753 Words   |  3 PagesOthers consider it false because there is no absolute proof beyond doubts. There have been countless occurrences by individuals around the world of either being contacted or abducted by alien life forms. Many unofficial accounts describe the Earth as being visited by one or more alien species. These various alien species that possibly visited Earth may be interested in observing the development of the human species. Nevertheless there have been many discussions of government cover ups. ScientistsRead More The Great Pyramid Essay1399 Words   |  6 Pages Outline  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thesis Statement: The Great Pyramid is a mystery to the modern age, even though its purpose, uses, history, and condition have challenged explorers for centuries it will always be considered one of the greatest wonders of the world. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why was the Great Pyramid built? A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Who built the Great Pyramid? B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why was it built? C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comparative theories. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What was the Great Pyramid used for? A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Religious uses. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Astronomical uses. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  EnvironmentalRead MoreThe Great Pyramid Essay examples1438 Words   |  6 PagesStatement: The Great Pyramid is a mystery to the modern age, even though its purpose; uses, history, and condition have challenged explorers for centuries it will always be considered one of the greatest wonders of the world. 1. Why was the Great Pyramid built? A. Who built the Great Pyramid? B. Why was it built? C. Comparative theories. 2. What was the Great Pyramid used for? A. Religious uses. B. Astronomical uses. C. Environmental uses. 3. How was the Great Pyramid built? A. Workers. Read MorePyramids of Giza719 Words   |  3 PagesThe Mystery of the Construction of the Pyramids of Giza RUNNING HEAD: THE MYSTERY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PYRAMIDS 2 AT GIZA There are many mysteries surrounding our historyRead MoreThe Great Pyramid Of Giza1382 Words   |  6 Pageswill examine the Great Pyramid of Giza during the Fourth Dynasty, the period in which it was built. My purpose for this topic is to not only educate myself further in the humanities of Ancient Egypt but to also get a better understanding of how the art relates to the people and their lives, I will do so by examining how and when The Great Pyramid of Giza and the surrounding pyramids were built, then how the culture of the people at the time influenced the making of the pyramid, and finally I will discussRead MoreThe Distribution Of Power Throughout Old Kingdom Egypt And The First Intermediate Period1436 Words   |  6 Pagesconstructors of pyramids, and Egyptian belief concerning the afterlife. The Great Pyramids of Giza are considered to be three of the world’s most fascinating and astonishing archaeological marvels. On the edge of modern-day Cairo stands the plateau of Giza, on which these extraordinary pyramids were constructed approximately 4,500 years ago, yet to this day, they are regarded as three of the world’s largest human-made structures, standing, collectively, at 1116 feet tall. However, the Pyramid of KhufuRead MoreThe Cryptic Secrets Of Egyptian Pyramids1719 Words   |  7 PagesEgyptian Pyramids The pyramid-shaped masonry architectures are called Pyramids, and there are eighty of them known as ancient Egyptian Pyramids. The Egyptian Pyramids are the products of a slavery country, but they are also the great accomplishments of ancient people. Since the first discovery of the Egyptian Pyramids, many scientists have been dedicated in ancient Egypt study. After years of researching on the earliest Egyptian Pyramid, Pyramid of Djoser, and the most famous Egyptian Pyramid, PyramidRead MoreThe Mysteries of the Construction of Pyramids in Egypt571 Words   |  2 Pagesworld has always been how the great pyramids of Egypt were built. It was a long time ago, long before we had bulldozers, cranes and all that heavy-duty equipment. This leads some groups of people to believe that because Egyptians were â€Å"primitive†, there is no way they could have done all the work themselves. Thus the most logical explanation as to who could have helped our helpless Egyptians had to be ali ens. Aliens had traveled from afar to build these giant pyramids for whatever reason. (1) The immenseRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing915 Words   |  4 Pagesright to do so, then I softened, with a mother’s omniscience will to do so, too. â€Å"Yea, right!† My off-springs formed a pack, then broke out in belly aching laughter. â€Å"And Keva,† my daughter added, â€Å"when we got to another area at The Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ Pyramid, what did your momma see there?† Shyrlena spewed words out from between fudge-brown lips. Her skin glowed like soft, fudge swirls. She was prettier than a Georgia peach – a mother connotation. She and Alexis were about the same height and folks

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Lamb The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 3 Free Essays

string(66) " we could see the crowd of mourners gathering around the village\." Chapter 3 The angel will tell me nothing of what happened to my friends, of the twelve, of Maggie. All he’ll say is that they are dead and that I have to write my own version of the story. Oh, he’ll tell me useless angel stories – of how Gabriel disappeared once for sixty years and they found him on earth hiding in the body of a man named Miles Davis, or how Raphael snuck out of heaven to visit Satan and returned with something called a cell phone. We will write a custom essay sample on Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 3 or any similar topic only for you Order Now (Evidently everyone has them in hell now.) He watches the television and when they show an earthquake or a tornado he’ll say, â€Å"I destroyed a city with one of those once. Mine was better.† I am awash in useless angel prattle, but about my own time I know nothing but what I saw. And when the television makes mention of Joshua, calling him by his Greek name, Raziel changes the channel before I can learn anything. He never sleeps. He just watches me, watches the television, and eats. He never leaves the room. Today, while searching for extra towels, I opened one of the drawers and there, beneath a plastic bag meant for laundry, I found a book: Holy Bible, it said on the cover. Thank the Lord I did not take the book from the drawer, but opened it with my back to the angel. There are chapters there that were in no Bible I know. I saw the names of Matthew and John, I saw Romans and Galatians – this is a book of my time. â€Å"What are you doing?† the angel asked. I covered the Bible and closed the drawer. â€Å"Looking for towels. I need to bathe.† â€Å"You bathed yesterday.† â€Å"Cleanliness is important to my people.† â€Å"I know that. What, you think I don’t know that?† â€Å"You’re not exactly the brightest halo in the bunch.† â€Å"Then bathe. And stand away from the television.† â€Å"Why don’t you go get me some towels?† â€Å"I’ll call down to the desk.† And he did. If I am to get a look at that book, I must get the angel to leave the room. It came to pass that in the village of Japhia, the sister village of Nazareth, that Esther, the mother of one of the priests of the Temple, died of bad air. The Levite priests, or Sadducees, were rich from the tributes we paid to the Temple, and mourners were hired from all the surrounding villages. The families of Nazareth made the journey to the next hill for the funeral, and for the first time, Joshua and I were able to spend time with Maggie as we walked along the road. â€Å"So,† she said without looking at us, â€Å"have you two been playing with any snakes lately?† â€Å"We’ve been waiting for the lion to lay down with the lamb,† Joshua said. â€Å"That’s the next part of the prophecy.† â€Å"What prophecy?† â€Å"Never mind,† I said. â€Å"Snakes are for boys. We are almost men. We will begin work after the Feast of Tabernacles. In Sepphoris.† I was trying to sound worldly. Maggie seemed unimpressed. â€Å"And you will learn to be a carpenter?† she asked Joshua. â€Å"I will do the work of my father, eventually, yes.† â€Å"And you?† she asked me. â€Å"I’m thinking of being a professional mourner. How hard can it be? Tear at your hair, sing a dirge or two, take the rest of the week off.† â€Å"His father is a stonemason,† Joshua said. â€Å"We may both learn that skill.† At my urging, my father had offered to take Joshua on as an apprentice if Joseph approved. â€Å"Or a shepherd,† I added quickly. â€Å"Being a shepherd seems easy. I went with Kaliel last week to tend his flock. The Law says that two must go with the flock to keep an abomination from happening. I can spot an abomination from fifty paces.† Maggie smiled. â€Å"And did you prevent any abominations?† â€Å"Oh yes, I kept all of the abominations at bay while Kaliel played with his favorite sheep behind the bushes.† â€Å"Biff,† Joshua said gravely, â€Å"that was the abomination you were supposed to prevent.† â€Å"It was?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Whoops. Oh well, I think I would make an excellent mourner. Do you know the words to any dirges, Maggie? I’m going to need to learn some dirges.† â€Å"I think that when I grow up,† Maggie announced, â€Å"I shall go back to Magdala and become a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.† I laughed, â€Å"Don’t be silly, you are a girl. You can’t be a fisherman.† â€Å"Yes I can.† â€Å"No, you can’t. You have to marry and have sons. Are you betrothed, by the way?† Joshua said: â€Å"Come with me, Maggie, and I will make you a fisher of men.† â€Å"What the hell does that mean?† Maggie asked. I grabbed Joshua by the back of his robe and began to drag him away. â€Å"Don’t pay any attention to him. He’s mad. He gets it from his mother. Lovely woman, but a loony. Come now, Josh, let’s sing a dirge.† I began improvising what I thought was a good funeral song. â€Å"La-la-la. Oh, we are really, really sad that your mom is dead. Too bad you’re a Sadducee and don’t believe in an afterlife and your mom is just going to be worm food, la-la. Makes you think that you might want to reconsider, huh? Fa-la-la-la-la-la-wacka-wacka.† (It sounded great in Aramaic. Really.) â€Å"You two are silly.† â€Å"Gotta go. Mourning to do. See you.† â€Å"A fisher of women?† Josh said. â€Å"Fa-la-la-la, don’t feel bad – she was old and had no teeth left, la-la-la. Come on, people, you know the words!† Later, I said, â€Å"Josh, you can’t keep saying creepy things like that. ‘Fisher of men,’ you want the Pharisees to stone you? Is that what you want?† â€Å"I’m only doing my father’s work. Besides, Maggie is our friend, she wouldn’t say anything.† â€Å"You’re going to scare her away.† â€Å"No I won’t. She’s going to be with us, Biff.† â€Å"Are you going to marry her?† â€Å"I don’t even know if I’m allowed to marry at all, Biff. Look.† We were topping the hill into Japhia, and we could see the crowd of mourners gathering around the village. You read "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 3" in category "Essay examples" Joshua was pointing to a red crest that stood out above the crowd – the helmet crest of a Roman centurion. The centurion was talking to the Levite priest, who was arrayed in white and gold, his white beard reaching past his belt. As we moved into the village we could see twenty or thirty other soldiers watching the crowd. â€Å"Why are they here?† â€Å"They don’t like it when we gather,† Joshua said, pausing to study the centurion commander. â€Å"They are here to see that we don’t revolt.† â€Å"Why is the priest talking to him?† â€Å"The Sadducee wants to assure the Roman of his influence over us. It wouldn’t do to have a massacre on the day of his mother’s funeral.† â€Å"So he’s watching out for us.† â€Å"He’s watching out for himself. Only for himself.† â€Å"You shouldn’t say that about a priest of the Temple, Joshua.† It was the first time I ever heard Joshua speak against the Sadducees, and it frightened me. â€Å"Today, I think this priest will learn who the Temple belongs to.† â€Å"I hate it when you talk like that, Josh. Maybe we should go home.† â€Å"Do you remember the dead meadowlark we found?† â€Å"I have a really bad feeling about this.† Joshua grinned at me. I could see gold flecks shining in his eyes. â€Å"Sing your dirge, Biff. I think Maggie was impressed by your singing.† â€Å"Really? You think so?† â€Å"Nope.† There was a crowd of five hundred outside the tomb. In the front, the men had draped striped shawls over their heads and rocked as they prayed. The women were separated to the back, and except for the wailing of the hired mourners, it was as if they didn’t exist. I tried to catch a glimpse of Maggie, but couldn’t see her through the crowd. When I turned again, Joshua had wormed his way to the front of the men, where the Sadducee stood beside the corpse of his dead mother, reading from a scroll of the Torah. The women had wrapped the corpse in linen and anointed it with fragrant oils. I could smell sandalwood and jasmine amid the acrid sweat of the mourners as I made my way to the front and stood by Joshua. He looked past the priest and was staring at the corpse, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He was trembling as if taken by a chill wind. The priest finished his reading and began to sing, joined by the voices of hired singers who had made the journey all the way from the Temple in Jerusalem. â€Å"It’s good to be rich, huh?† I whispered to Joshua, elbowing him in the ribs. He ignored me and balled up his fists at his sides. A vein stood out on his forehead as he burned his gaze on the corpse. And she moved. Just a twitch at first. The jerk of her hand under the linen shroud. I think I was the only one who noticed. â€Å"No, Joshua, don’t,† I said. I looked for the Romans, who were gathered in groups of five at different points around the perimeter of the crowd looking bored, their hands resting on the hafts of their short swords. The corpse twitched again and raised her arm. There was a gasp in the crowd and a boy screamed. The men started backing away and the women pushed forward to see what was happening. Joshua fell to his knees and pressed his fists to his temples. The priest sang on. The corpse sat up. The singers stopped and finally the priest turned to look behind him at his dead mother, who had swung her legs off of the slab and looked as if she was trying to stand. The priest stumbled back into the crowd, clawing at the air before his eyes as if it some vapor was causing this horrible vision. Joshua was rocking on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. The corpse stood, and still covered by the shroud, turned as if she was looking around. I could see that several of the Romans had drawn their swords. I looked around and found the commanding centurion standing on the back of a wagon, giving signals to his men to stay calm. When I looked back I realized that Joshua and I had been deserted by the mourners and we stood out in the empty space. â€Å"Stop it, now, Josh,† I whispered in his ear, but he continued to rock and concentrate on the corpse, who took her first step. The crowd seemed to be transfixed by the walking corpse, but we were too isolated, too alone now with the dead, and I knew it would only be seconds before they noticed Joshua rocking in the dirt. I threw my arm around his throat and dragged him back away from the corpse and into a group of men who were wailing as they backed away. â€Å"Is he all right?† I heard at my ear, and turned to see Maggie standing beside me. â€Å"Help me get him away.† Maggie took one of Joshua’s arms and I took the other as we dragged him away. His body was as stiff as a walking staff, and he kept his gaze trained on the corpse. The dead woman was walking toward her son, the priest, who was backing away, brandishing the scroll like a sword, his eyes as big as saucers. Finally the woman fell in the dirt, twitched, then lay still. Joshua went limp in our arms. â€Å"Let’s get him out of here,† I said to Maggie. She nodded and helped me drag him behind the wagon where the centurion was directing his troops. â€Å"Is he dead?† the centurion asked. Joshua was blinking as if he’d just been awakened from a deep sleep. â€Å"We’re never sure, sir,† I said. The centurion threw his head back and laughed. His scale armor rattled with the tossing of his shoulders. He was older than the other soldiers, gray-haired, but obviously lean and strong, and totally unconcerned with the histrionics of the crowd. â€Å"Good answer, boy. What is your name?† â€Å"Biff, sir. Levi bar Alphaeus, who is called Biff, sir. Of Nazareth.† â€Å"Well, Biff, I am Gaius Justus Gallicus, under-commander of Sepphoris, and I think that you Jews should make sure your dead are dead before you bury them.† â€Å"Yes sir,† I said. â€Å"You, girl. You are a pretty little thing. What is your name?† I could see that Maggie was shaken by the attention of the Roman. â€Å"I am Mary of Magdala, sir.† She wiped at Joshua’s brow with the edge of her shawl as she spoke. â€Å"You will break someone’s heart someday, eh, little one?† Maggie didn’t answer. But I must have shown some reaction to the question, because Justus laughed again. â€Å"Or perhaps she already has, eh, Biff?† â€Å"It is our way, sir. That’s why we Jews bury our women when they are still alive. It cuts down on the heartbreak.† The Roman took off his helmet, ran his hand over his short hair, and flung sweat at me. â€Å"Go on, you two, get your friend into the shade. It’s too hot out here for a sick boy. Go on.† Maggie and I helped Joshua to his feet and began to lead him away, but when we had gone only a few steps, Joshua stopped and looked back over his shoulder at the Roman. â€Å"Will you slay my people if we follow our God?† he shouted. I cuffed him on the back of the head. â€Å"Joshua, are you insane?† Justus narrowed his gaze at Joshua and the smile went out of his eyes. â€Å"Whatever they tell you, boy, Rome has only two rules: pay your taxes and don’t rebel. Follow those and you’ll stay alive.† Maggie yanked Joshua around and smiled back at the Roman. â€Å"Thank you, sir, we’ll get him out of the sun.† Then she turned back to Joshua. â€Å"Is there something you two would like to tell me?† â€Å"It’s not me,† I said. â€Å"It’s him.† The next day we met the angel for the first time. Mary and Joseph said that Joshua had left the house at dawn and they hadn’t seen him since. I wandered around the village most of the morning, looking for Joshua and hoping to run into Maggie. The square was alive with talk of the walking dead woman, but neither of my friends was to be found. At noon my mother recruited me to watch my little brothers while she went to work with the other women in the vineyard. She returned at dusk, smelling of sweat and sweet wine, her feet purple from walking in the winepress. Cut loose, I ran all over the hilltop, checking in our favorite places to play, and finally found Joshua on his knees in an olive grove, rocking back and forth as he prayed. He was soaked in sweat and I was afraid he might have a fever. Strange, I never felt that sort of concern for my own brothers, but from the beginning, Joshua filled me with divinely inspired worry. I watched, and waited, and when he stopped his rocking and sat back to rest, I faked a cough to let him know I was coming. â€Å"Maybe you should stick with lizards for a while longer.† â€Å"I failed. I have disappointed my father.† â€Å"Did he tell you that, or do you just know it?† He thought for a moment, made as if to brush his hair away from his face, then remembered that he no longer wore his hair long and dropped his hands in his lap. â€Å"I ask for guidance, but I get no answer. I can feel that I am supposed to do things, but I don’t know what. And I don’t know how.† â€Å"I don’t know, I think the priest was surprised. I certainly was. Maggie was. People will be talking about it for months.† â€Å"But I wanted the woman to live again. To walk among us. To tell of the miracle.† â€Å"Well, it is written, two out of three ain’t bad.† â€Å"Where is that written?† â€Å"Dalmatians 9:7, I think – doesn’t matter, no one else could have done what you did.† Joshua nodded. â€Å"What are people saying?† â€Å"They think that it was something the women used to prepare the corpse. They are still going through purification for two more days, so no one can ask them.† â€Å"So they don’t know that it was me?† â€Å"I hope not. Joshua, don’t you understand that you can’t do that sort of thing in front of people? They aren’t ready for it.† â€Å"But most of them want it. They talk about the Messiah coming to deliver us all the time. Don’t I have to show them that he has come?† What do you say to that? He was right, since I could remember there was always talk of the coming of the Messiah, of the coming of the kingdom of God, of the liberation of our people from the Romans – the hills were full of different factions of Zealots who skirmished with the Romans in hope that they could bring about the change. We were the chosen of God, blessed and punished like no other on earth. When the Jews spoke, God listened, now it was God’s turn to speak. Evidently, my best friend was supposed to be the mouthpiece. But at that moment, I just didn’t believe it. Despite what I’d seen, Joshua was my pal, not the Messiah. I said, â€Å"I’m pretty sure the Messiah is supposed to have a beard.† â€Å"So, it’s not time yet, is that what you’re saying?† â€Å"Right, Josh, I’m going to know when you don’t. God sent a messenger to me and he said, ‘By the way, tell Joshua to wait until he can shave before he leads my people out of bondage.'† â€Å"It could happen.† â€Å"Don’t ask me, ask God.† â€Å"That’s what I’ve been doing. He’s not answering.† It had been getting darker by the minute in the olive grove, and I could barely see the shine in Josh’s eyes, but suddenly the area around us was lit up like daylight. We looked up to see the dreaded Raziel descending on us from above the treetops. Of course I didn’t know he was the dreaded Raziel at the time, I was just terrified. The angel shone like a star above us, his features so perfect that even my beloved Maggie’s beauty paled by comparison. Joshua hid his face and huddled against the trunk of an olive tree. I guess he was more easily surprised by the supernatural than I was. I just stood there staring with my mouth open, drooling like the village idiot. â€Å"Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all men. For on this day, in the city of David, is born a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.† Then he hovered for a second, waiting for his message to sink in. Joshua uncovered his face and risked a glance at the angel. â€Å"Well?† the angel said. It took me a second to digest the meaning of the words, and I waited for Joshua to say something, but he had turned his face skyward and seemed to be basking in the light, a silly smile locked on his face. Finally I pointed a thumb at Josh and said, â€Å"He was born in the city of David.† â€Å"Really?† said the angel. â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"His mother’s name is Mary?† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"She a virgin?† â€Å"He has four brothers and sisters now, but at one time, yes.† The angel looked around nervously, as if he might expect a multitude of the heavenly host to show up at some point. â€Å"How old are you, kid?† Joshua just stared, smiling. â€Å"He’s ten.† The angel cleared his throat and fidgeted a bit, dropping a few feet toward the ground as he did so. â€Å"I’m in a lot of trouble. I stopped to chat with Michael on the way here, he had a deck of cards. I knew some time had passed, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  To Joshua he said, â€Å"Kid, were you born in a stable? Wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger?† Joshua said nothing. â€Å"That’s the way his mom tells it,† I said. â€Å"Is he retarded?† â€Å"I think you’re his first angel. He’s impressed, I think.† â€Å"What about you?† â€Å"I’m in trouble because I’m going to be an hour late for dinner.† â€Å"I see what you mean. I’d better get back and check on this. If you see some shepherds watching over their flocks by night would you tell them – uh, tell them – that at some point, probably, oh – ten years or so ago, that a Savior was born? Could you do that?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Okey-dokey. Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.† â€Å"Right back at you.† â€Å"Thanks. Bye.† And as quickly as he had come, the angel was gone in a shooting star and the olive grove went dark again. I could just make out Joshua’s face as he turned to look at me. â€Å"There you go,† I said. â€Å"Next question?† I suppose that every boy wonders what he will be when he grows up. I suppose that many watch their peers accomplish great things and wonder, â€Å"Could I have done that?† For me, to know at ten that my best friend was the Messiah, while I would live and die a stonecutter, seemed too much of a curse for a ten-year-old to bear. The morning after we met the angel, I went to the square and sat with Bartholomew the village idiot, hoping that Maggie would come to the well. If I had to be a stonecutter, at least I might have the love of an enchanting woman. In those days, we started training for our life’s work at ten, then received the prayer shawl and phylacteries at thirteen, signifying our entry into manhood. Soon after we were expected to be betrothed, and by fourteen, married and starting a family. So you see, I was not too young to consider Maggie as a wife (and I might always have the fallback position of marrying Joshua’s mother when Joseph died). The women would come and go, fetching water, washing clothes, and as the sun rose high and the square cleared, Bartholomew sat in the shade of a tattered date palm and picked his nose. Maggie never appeared. Funny how easy heartbreak can come. I’ve always had a talent for it. â€Å"Why you cry?† said Bartholomew. He was bigger than any man in the village, his hair and beard were wild and tangled, and the yellow dust that covered him from head to toe gave him the appearance of an incredibly stupid lion. His tunic was ragged and he wore no sandals. The only thing he owned was a wooden bowl that he ate from and licked clean. He lived off of the charity of the village, and by gleaning the grain fields (there was always some grain left in the fields for the poor – it was dictated by the Law). I never knew how old he was. He spent his days in the square, playing with the village dogs, giggling to himself, and scratching his crotch. When the women passed he would stick out his tongue and say, â€Å"Bleh.† My mother said he had the mind of a child. As usual, she was wrong. He put his big paw on my shoulder and rubbed, leaving a dusty circle of affection on my shirt. â€Å"Why you cry?† he asked again. â€Å"I’m just sad. You wouldn’t understand.† Bartholomew looked around, and when he saw that we were alone in the square except for his dog pals, he said, â€Å"You think too much. Thinking will bring you nothing but suffering. Be simple.† â€Å"What?† It was the most coherent thing I’d ever heard him say. â€Å"Do you ever see me cry? I have nothing, so I am slave to nothing. I have nothing to do, so nothing makes me its slave.† â€Å"What do you know?† I snapped. â€Å"You live in the dirt. You are unclean! You do nothing. I have to begin working next week, and work for a lifetime until I die with a broken back. The girl I want is in love with my best friend, and he’s the Messiah. I’m nothing, and you, you – you’re an idiot.† â€Å"No, I’m not, I’m a Greek. A Cynic.† I turned and really looked at him. His eyes, normally as dull as mud, shone like black jewels in the dusty desert of his face. â€Å"What’s a Cynic?† â€Å"A philosopher. I am a student of Diogenes. You know Diogenes?† â€Å"No, but how much could he have taught you? Your only friends are dogs.† â€Å"Diogenes went about Athens with a lamp in broad daylight, holding it in people’s faces, saying he was looking for an honest man.† â€Å"So, he was like the prophet of the idiots?† â€Å"No, no, no.† Bart picked up a small terrier and was gesturing with him to make his point. The dog seemed to enjoy it. â€Å"They were all fooled by their culture. Diogenes taught that all affectations of modern life were false, that a man must live simply, outdoors, carry nothing, make no art, no poetry, no religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like a dog,† I said. â€Å"Yes!† Bart described a flourish in the air with the rat dog. â€Å"Exactly!† The little dog made as if to upchuck from the motion. Bart put him down and he wobbled away. A life without worry: right then it sounded wonderful. I mean, I didn’t want to live in the dirt and have other people think me mad, like Bartholomew, but a dog’s life really didn’t sound bad. The idiot had been hiding a deep wisdom all these years. â€Å"I’m trying to learn to lick my own balls,† Bart said. Maybe not. â€Å"I have to go find Joshua.† â€Å"You know he is the Messiah, don’t you?† â€Å"Wait a minute, you’re not a Jew – I thought you didn’t believe in any religion.† â€Å"The dogs told me he was the Messiah. I believe them. Tell Joshua I believe them.† â€Å"The dogs told you?† â€Å"They’re Jewish dogs.† â€Å"Right, let me know how the ball licking works out.† â€Å"Shalom.† Who would have thought that Joshua would find his first apostle among the dirt and dogs of Nazareth. Bleh. I found Joshua at the synagogue, listening to the Pharisees lecture on the Law. I stepped through the group of boys sitting on the floor and whispered to him. â€Å"Bartholomew says that he knows you are the Messiah.† â€Å"The idiot? Did you ask him how long he’s known?† â€Å"He says the village dogs told him.† â€Å"I never thought to ask the dogs.† â€Å"He says that we should live simply, like dogs, carry nothing, no affectations – whatever that means.† â€Å"Bartholomew said that? Sounds like an Essene. He’s much smarter than he looks.† â€Å"He’s trying to learn to lick his own balls.† â€Å"I’m sure there’s something in the Law that forbids that. I’ll ask the rabbi.† â€Å"I’m not sure you want to bring that up to the Pharisee.† â€Å"Did you tell your father about the angel?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Good. I’ve spoken to Joseph, he’s going to let me learn to be a stonecutter with you. I don’t want your father to change his mind about teaching me. I think the angel would frighten him.† Joshua looked at me for the first time, turning from the Pharisee, who droned on in Hebrew. â€Å"Have you been crying?† â€Å"Me? No, Bart’s stench made my eyes water.† Joshua put his hand on my forehead and all the sadness and trepidation seemed to drain out of me in an instant. He smiled. â€Å"Better?† â€Å"I’m jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"That can’t be good for your neck.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Trying to lick your own balls. It’s got to be hard on your neck.† â€Å"Did you hear me? I’m jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"I’m still learning, Biff. There are things I don’t understand yet. The Lord said, ‘I am a jealous God.’ So jealousy should be a good thing.† â€Å"But it makes me feel so bad.† â€Å"You see the puzzle, then? Jealousy makes you feel bad, but God is jealous, so it must be good, yet when a dog licks its balls it seems to enjoy it, but it must be bad under the Law.† Suddenly Joshua was yanked to his feet by the ear. The Pharisee glared at him. â€Å"Is the Law of Moses too boring for you, Joshua bar Joseph?† â€Å"I have a question, Rabbi,† Joshua said. â€Å"Oh, jeez.† I hid my head in my arms. How to cite Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 3, Essay examples

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Sir Haigs Incompetence free essay sample

A discussion of Sir Douglas Haigs ineffectiveness and incompetence as a captain for the English forces during World War I. The paper examines the senseless loss of lives of thousands of young soldiers in World War I under the command of Captain Haig, because of his poor battle planning. The paper describes how he could have been a much more successful military officer if had he used the resources he had available to help him plan for battles, learned from his past experiences and used logic when planning his battles. `Sir Douglas Haig was a controversial and incompetent captain who needlessly lost hundreds of thousands of men due to the management of his battles throughout the war. Despite his ultimate success, Haigs leadership was very controversial in the years following the war. His battle plans led to the unnecessary death of many of his troops, which must be taken into consideration when analyzing his effectiveness as a captain. We will write a custom essay sample on Sir Haigs Incompetence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page `