Machine Essay Example for Free

Machine Essay Society is in all shapes and forms a lie. Consumerism drives our economy, our government, and our lives. As a people we are amazed and enthralled by the new technology that has become available to us in recent years. From smart phones to 3-d televisions we have it all, technology may as well be an extention of our bodies at this rate, it is creeping in. The speed at which technology has developped is impressive to say the least, we are able to make the blind see, the def hear, or the mute able speak. Computers have connected the world, opening a wealth of information to anyone witch access. With the annoucement of a new wearable computer called Google Glass we have taken a step forward into the cyborg age, not only that but we have taken a step into the what will be known as Surveillance States. We have given the oppurtunity to the government to control us even further. There are many positive and negative developments that come with the age of information, like the ease of accesing information from anywhere, to constantly being watched by our government or even to the militirization of these technologies. How could this affect our lives today, and more importantly tomorrow? Mann is an innovator, a man who excels in the field of technology. He had created a portable CD player before they were officially marketed, in time he began working on a portable computer that would allow him to access any of the information he needed. He even created a program that would replace ads on bilboards with things he felt were more important, and that he wanted to see. Some may wonder when this technology may be available but the fact of the matter is, it is available. It is all around us, Mann began experimenting with portability and computer in 1987. It is now the year 2013, and the technology has developped at an exponential rate, with the release of Google Glass we will be able to live the way Mann lived, replacing ads we dont want to see with other things that interest us. Another thing this technology will allow us to accomplish is having a better understanding of dissabilities, and how we can correct them; that is to say giving a blind individual the ability of sight. Weve had the technologies to accomplish these feats for some time, but is only until now that we have seen them begin to surface. Not everything about these technological advancements are good, although they may seem that way we must always think about the way this tech can change our lives, potentially for the worst. With the route government is taking these technologies might end up being used against us, inventions like Google Glass will permit the government to have 24/7 surveillance of everything we do. Countries have slowly been turning into Surveillance states, all illusions of privacy are slowly being taken away and we are doing nothing to change this. The population has been made docile, we sit at home on computers and walk around with phone in hand while the world around us closes in; slowly suffocating us until we can no longer catch our breath. Soon enough all of this technology will be implemented into our bodies, turning us into, basically, cyborgs. Can we expect to live life like Mr. Roboto, becoming the modern man. Imagine seeing Robocop prowling the streets for miscreants while we all access our own personal HUD the song that is playing. These are the things we can come to expect, along with a number of severe problems; cyber terrorism, iruss, trojan horses, key stroke programs (that is to say, in this context, a program able to acces your mind and watch everything you do). How will these issues be resolved is a mystery as it is nearly impossible to eradicate and keep up with the number of programs that are being made even today. Will the human race become more machine than man? Can we still consider ourselves human if we are made up of more computer and metal then we are of flesh? How will we experience life differenty? Do we really want to take this direction with technologie, considering the repercussions of such an act and the sacrifice involved? It may be safe to say that we may be going too far. Although the technological advancements we are creating are phenomenal we cannot expect them to be used to only improve our lives; it is a well known fact that the human race is a self-destructive creature, and seems to be addicted to finding new and more efficient ways to kill eachother. That being said the technological era we are moving into brings a great many benefits to society, and to the army. The militirization of these innovations will be inevitable. This can be both seen as good and bad, depending on your point of view. War often incites change and pumps up the economy, although with these technologies we will be experiencing a different kind of war, one that could quite possibly affect us all. What will happen to these technologies in the coming years is somewhat of a mystery, perhaps Johny Mnemonic will be the world of tomorrow, those who chose to augment themselves versus those who did not. This technology brings a number of opportunities to better our lives, we will be able to improve our life span and cure more illness and disease, amputees will be able to live normally and those with ental dissabilities may be cured with the use of microchips. With the direction we are taking concerning technology we will have to come to expect that the government will take advantage of these technologies, with profit in mind, and it is very likelly that the uneven distribution of wealth and power will be easily distinguishable in the world of tomorrow. It is impossible to know exactly what the future holds and so we must simply do what we can today, to ensure that tomorrow is the way we want it too be. With that said, how far away are we from being able to see into the future?

Factors that Influence Police Discretion

Factors that Influence Police Discretion 1) What is discretion? Name and describe the factors that may influence an individual officers discretion in making decisions involving a criminal suspect. (6 pts) Discretion is the exercise of choice by law enforcement officers in the decision to investigate or apprehend the disposition of suspects, the carrying out of official duties, and the application of sanctions. The cops have the power to decide whether to act depending on the judgment they feel they must make. In some situations certain people are not handled as strictly as others (an example would be if someone was to get pulled over for speeding and they get a ticket for something else). Studies of police discretion have found that a number of factors influence the discretionary decisions of the individual officers: 1. The Background of the officers Law enforcement officers bring to the job all their previous life experiences. Family values such as socialization through the family as well as attitudes that influence the decision of the officer. If an officer has learned prejudice against certain ethnic groups for example, this is likely to influence the decision an officer will make. 2. Characteristics of the suspect Demeanor, style of dress and grooming may influence police discretion. Poorly groomed suspects can expect less respectful treatment. Some officers treat men and woman differently. Very rarely will an officer arrest a woman. Another characteristic would be the personal style of the individual or group. Examples would be bikers attire or people with outlandish haircuts are more likely to be arrested than someone with a professional haircut. 3. Department Policy- This is not entirely subject to control by official policy, but can influence it. If a department has targeted certain kinds of offenses or if supervisors adhere to strict enforcement guidelines and closely monitor dispatches and other communications, the discretionary release of suspects will be quite rare. 4. Community Interest- Public attitudes toward certain crimes will increase the likelihood of arrest for suspected offenders. Contemporary attitudes toward crimes involving children- including sex abuse, sale of drugs to minors, domestic violence involving children and child pornography- have all lead to increased and strict enforcement of laws. Once the community has voiced its concern over the problem, the police respond with a series of highly effective arrests. The departments that require a police officer to live in the area that he/she patrols make them more aware of the effects of crime on the community and they respond better than a person who doesnt live in their district. 5. Pressure from Victims- When victims refuse to file a complaint are usually associated with certain crimes such as spousal abuse. When victims refuse to cooperate with the police, there is often little that can be done. On the other hand, some victims are local in insisting in the victimization and can easily be dealt with. Victim-assistance groups have sought to keep pressure on police departments and individual instigators to ensure the arrest and prosecution of suspects. 6. Disagreement with the law- Some laws lack an unpopular consensus. Some of the laws that deal with victimless offenses are gambling, homosexuality, lesbianism, prostitution and drug use. Some laws are not even in certain jurisdictions. Unpopular laws are not likely to bring much attention from law enforcement officers. If an arrest were to occur, it could be because an officer digs deeper into his/her investigation and reveals something more serious about the crime. 2) Name and describe the four historical eras of policing as discussed in the book. (4 pts) The four historical eras (epochs), are distinguishable by the relative dominance of a particular approach to police operations. They are the political era, reform era, the community policing era, and the homeland security era. 1. Political Era The first period, the political era, was characterized by close ties between police and public officials. It began in 1840 and ended around 1930s. Throughout the period, American police agencies tended to serve the interest of powerful politicians first, and providing public-order services almost as an afterthought. 2. Reform Era- The second period, the reform ear, began in the 1930s and lasted until the 1970s. It was characterized by pride in professional crime fighting. Police departments focused more on solving traditional crimes, such as murder, rape, burglary, and focusing on capturing offenders. 3. The Community Policing Era The third period, and the one that characterizes much of policing in America today, is the community policing era. This era started in the 1970s and is still present today. This was an approach to policing that stresses the service role of police officers and envisions a partnership between police agencies and their communities. Agencies focused on the service role of police officers. 4. Policing to Secure the Homeland Era The fourth period, policing to secure the homeland era, is quite new and continues to evolve. This era grew with national concerns with terrorism prevention born of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In this era agencies focused on causes of crime outside of the immediate community (country). 3) What are the dangers of police work? What can be done to reduce those dangers? (5 pts) Some dangers of police work include: violence in the line of duty, risk of disease and infected evidence, and stress and fatigue among police officers. 1. Violence in the line of duty In 2007, 188 American law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. These officers were kind-hearted, and laid back, and well liked in the community. 2. Risk of disease and infected evidence -Routine criminal and accident investigations hold the potential for infection through transmission of evidence. 3. Stress and fatigue among police officers Traumatic events, like hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and violent confrontations are instantly stressful. These can affect police officers long term. Diet and exercise can decrease stress and fatigue, along with getting more sleep and taking care of their body. 4) What ethnic and gender differences characterize policing today? What is the social significance of this diversity? (5 pts) Today many departments have dramatically increased their complement of officers from unrepresented groups. There are not as many African American officers or other ethnic officers compared to white (Caucasian) officers in the field. Although ethnic minorities are now employed in policing in significant numbers, women are still significantly underrepresented. The 2001 Status of woman in policing survey conducted that woman fill only 12.7% of all sworn law enforcement positions nationwide The social significance of this diversity is that woman and African Americans and other ethnic groups will actually benefit the policing departments making them better, well-rounded officers, it would help the discrimination of particular ethnic or sexual groups. 5) Be able to explain the ruling of each of the following cases and what area of policing the ruling affected (ex: search and seizure, arrest, interrogation, etc) (10 pts) A) Mapp v. Ohio (1961) b) Aguilar v. TX (1964) c) Escobedo v. IL (1964) d) Miranda v. AZ (1966) e) Harris v. US (1968) f) Weeks v. US (1914) g) US v. Leon (1984) h) US v. Borchardt (1987) i) Kyllo v. US (2001) j) US v. Grubbs (2006) A. Mapp V. Ohio (1961) This case was decided to change the face of American law enforcement forever, made the exclusionary rule applicable to criminal prosecutions at the same level beginning with the now- famous Mapp case; the Warren Court charted a course that would guarantee nationwide recognition of individual rights as it understood them, by agencies at all levels of the criminal justice system. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Search and Seizure) B. Aguilar V. TX (1964) -The case of paid informants. The case of Aguilar v. Texas clarified the use of informants and established a two-pronged test. The US court ruled that informant information could establish probable cause if both of the following criteria are met. 1. The source of the informants information is made clear, and 2. The police officer has a reasonable belief that the informant is reliable. The two-pronged test was intended to prevent the issuance of warrants on the basis of false or fabricated info. (Schmallenger, Frank, 2010). (The area of policing the ruling affected: Search and Seizure) C. Escobedo v. IL (1964) -In the case of Escobedo vs. Illinois, the right to have legal counsel present during police interrogation was recognized. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Interrogation) D. Miranda v AZ (1966) -This case established the well-known Miranda Warnings. In this case involving Enesto Miranda, who was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, and was accused of having kidnapped and raped a woman. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Interrogation) E. Harris v US (1968) Police officers have the opportunity to begin investigations or to confiscate evidence, without a warrant based on what they find in plain-view and open to public inspection. The plan-view doctrine was succinctly stated in the US Supreme court case of Harris v. US. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Search and Seizure) F. Weeks v US (1914) Freemont Weeks was suspected of using US mail to sell lottery tickets, which is a federal crime. Weeks was arrested and feral agents went into his home to conduct a search. They had no search warrant. They confiscated many items for evidence as well as the suspects personal possessions, including clothes, books, papers, and even candy. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Search and Seizure) G. US v Leon (1984) In the 1984 case of US v Leon, the court recognized what has come to be called the good-faith exception to the exclusionary rule. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Search and Seizure) H. US v Borchardt (1987) The case of Us v. Borchardt, decided by the 5th circuit court of Appeals, held that Ira Eugene Borchardt could be prosecuted for heroin uncovered during medical treatment, even though the defendant had objected to the treatment. Because of this case guidelines for conducting emergency warrantless searches of individuals came into effect, and in order to use evidence against an offender in a warrantless search certain criteria has to be met. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Arrest) I. Kyllo v Us (2001) This case set the standard on how technology can be used to the police based on the results of a warrantless search conducted by officers using a thermal-imaging device to detect if his housing was giving off more heat than the other houses, investigators applied for a search warrant for Kyllos home. (The area of policing the ruling affected: Arrest) J. US v Grubbs (2006) -The constitutionality of Anticipatory warrants was affirmed in 2006, in the US Supreme court Case of US v. Grubbs.

Electronic Voting Essay examples -- Essays Papers

Electronic Voting Gunmen on the grassy knoll, AIDS, landing on the moon, chemtrails, UFO’s, CIA mind control and Waco are some of the well-known conspiracies. But what about George W. Bush’s re-election? This cynicism goes beyond political rhetoric and focuses on our ability to participate in a representative democracy. Developed by the ancient Greeks, one of the first voting systems involved dropping bronze disks into barrels. As technology progressed, the advancements in voting systems surrendered an unacceptable system that lacks accuracy despite public outcry for a paper-verified trail. A voting system has four characteristics: accuracy, anonymity, scalability, and speed. Current electronic voting machines claim to posses these qualities, but to whose standards? Perfection is not reality and human errors are inevitable. Therefore, elimination of controllable errors becomes top priority. Each state must burden this task without national standards resulting in computer technology as a quick fix to a problem. Maryland primarily uses Diebold Direct Electronic Votin...

Analysis of Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw Essay -- Plays Geo

Analysis of Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw "Arms and the Man" starts with gunfire on a dark street in a small town. The romantic and willful Raina is about to begin her true-life adventure by sheltering the handsome fugitive Bluntschli, enemy of her equally handsome fiancà © Sergius The setting of the play is in war-torn Bulgaria, and focuses not only on the romance between the young people of the play, but the atrocities that go on during war times and the ability of people not so very far removed from these atrocities to ignore them completely. Shaw's purpose in this play is to attack the romantic notion of war by presenting a more realistic depiction of war, devoid of the idea that such death and destruction are both noble and romantic. These deconstructions make "Arms and the Man" a satirical comedy about those who would glorify the horrors or war. Shaw develops a perfectly ironic contrast between the two central male characters form the beginning to the end. At the start of the play we are given an account of Major Sergius Saranoff’s, a handsome young Bulgarian officer, victory in a daring cavalry raid, which turned the war in favor of the Bulgarians over the Serbs. In contrast, Captain Bluntschil, a professional soldier from Switzerland, acts like a coward. He climbs up to a balcony to escape capture, he threatens a woman with a gun, and he carries chocolates rather than cartridges because he claims the sweets are more useful on the batt...

George Withers poem, By Knowledge, Life wee gaine, All other things to Death pertaine :: Philosophy Poet Poem Essays

George Wither's poem, By Knowledge, Life wee gaine, All other things to Death pertaine "Vivitur Ingenio Caetera Mortis Erut," roughly translated means, "Live intellectually. In all other matters, death is master." This phrase borders the emblem of George Wither's poem, By Knowledge, Life wee gaine, All other things to Death pertaine. This poem admonishes the reader to beware of a life too concerned with worldly pleasures, titles and treasures, which he says, belong to death and will return to him upon our death. He entreats us, rather, to concentrate on knowledge, honest actions, holy study and charity, which will provide a virtuous nature which cannot be removed by kings, time or death. In Thomas More's Utopia, we see an example of a people living by these examples, but in a self-motivated way. The fact that this society has adopted these sentiments as a purely logical survival mechanism can be seen in the differing attitudes between Utopian individual and Utopian nation toward education and learning, wealth and virtue. The poem's emblem shows a man, sitting under the Tree of Knowledge, with his hand on a stack of books contemplating lofty thoughts. He has his back turned from personified Death. George Wither says, "That Knowledge, and that Treasure seeks to find, Which may enrich thy Heart with perfect Joy." We are to understand that learning and knowledge are the most important things to occupy our time in the short life. The Utopian held the wise and learned man in the highest esteem, elevating him to positions of leadership and excusing him from the normal work duties of society. These leaders are tasked with upholding the laws and maintaining a balanced society. Utopians are skilled in "music, dialectic, arithmetic, geometry...logistics," and devour up the Greek classic which Hythlodaeus brings to the island. The nation of Utopia, on the other hand, is quite different. It is a very closed society. It deals in the baser occupations of commerce and even buys slaves from neighboring nations. The n ation holds itself in such high regard that there are no lessons to be learned from it's neighbors. Contrasting the wise man in the emblem is the skeleton hoarding treasures. Among these items are gold, a crown and a coat of arms representing, respectively, wealth, power and honor. These items are in the possession of death, apparently reverting to him after the foolish ones have died. As a socialist society, everything is provided for and by Utopians.

Leadership and Follower †ship Essay

According to Bass and Avolio (1994) in Parry’s â€Å"The Thing about Metaphors and Leadership† (2008), leadership is a transformation. It is a transformation in the hearts and minds of followers so that they move higher level of understanding, commitment, and performance. The two authors asserted that followers perform beyond expectations when that transformation takes place. Hearts and minds imply that the transformation is in the emotional response and the cognitive response that follower’s experience. They feel better about things and they think more constructively as a result of the leadership that they have experienced. Not only is influence being achieved, but the emotions are positive. (p. 8) On a similar note, Smircich and Morgan (1982) in Parry’s â€Å"The Thing about Metaphors and Leadership† (2008) asserted that the essence of leadership is management of meaning. The bottom line of what people do in their leadership roles is to manage the meaning that they make of events. When leaders and followers make sense of events, and of their role within those events, then they are better able to play their part in events. Leaders are able to influence followers in the ways that the leaders intended. (p. 8) Parry’s (1999) in Parry’s â€Å"The Thing about Metaphors and Leadership† (2008) gave an example of leadership that was demonstrated within local government mergers, he found that the essence of leadership was enhancing the adaptability of leaders and followers to the uncertainty and turbulence of change. When leaders are more adaptable, they can lead better. When followers can adapt to change, they can follow better. Once again, influence is achieved. Moreover, the emotions are positive because followers can see some personal benefit from the positive changes that are achieved, rather than feeling apprehension or remorse as a result of personal risk. (p. 9) On a different note, Weick (1995) and Pye (2005) in Parry’s â€Å"The Thing about Metaphors and Leadership† (2008) argue that the essence of leadership lies in sense-making. People in leadership roles make sense of the situation they are faced with. In turn, they help convey that sense to followers. A leader makes sense of the confusion and ambiguity and conveys that sense to followers. In turn followers make sense of their challenges and expectations, which enables them to achieve the outcomes that are desired. Parry contends that this idea of â€Å"sense-making† is perhaps the best metaphor for leadership. (p. 9) How Jesus Christ is the Perfect Model of Servant Leadership In the world today there are many types of leaders, from military to the business world to community organizations to government institutions. Whereas, some leaders assume leadership positions without undergoing training, others, like is the case in the military undergoes a rigorous training procedure that equips them with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead. However, no matter the training one has to undergo in order to qualify to be a leader, s/he may not exemplify the true servant leadership that Jesus Christ exemplified and preached about. One of the greatest leaders in human history learned this when he was given the task of leading God’s chosen people out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land. According to Dr. John J. Javis, a professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at the Grace Theological Seminary, â€Å"when Joshua and the children of Israel were faithful to God’s Word and His will, there was victory. When they abandoned His will in favor of their own genius, there was failure and frustration. † [Davis, 1969] Failure and frustration is a direct result of the inability to learn to follow before you can learn to lead. Under Moses’ leadership, Joshua learned this very well. Leadership is influence, so the accepted definition goes. Influence is the ability to move another person in a direction you believe is important. By any definition, Jesus Christ was a leader like any other. He influenced many and his follower-ship continues to influence many including the author of this paper whose follower-ship has resulted into many professional victories in his military career, a phenomenon that has led to his leadership. It is awesome how He prepares our hearts in one season to equip us for future roles and responsibilities. It is unbelievable how the follower-ship of His leadership continue to propagate His teachings that in turn continue to enhance his leadership many years after his physical departure from the earth, indeed his was and continue to be a true servant leadership that we should emulate. Greenwood et al (2008) in their research findings asserts that â€Å"Leaders’ must understand the different needs of each generation and the needs of the different generations in countries in which they are conducting business if they are to lead successfully. Managers in their leadership capacity should also create human resources policies to ensure that work teams include the perspectives of these different generational value systems. Yet, leaders must meet the challenge of managing each generation differently in order to achieve high performance outcomes. By examining each generation’s value structure, one can develop a profile of each group which can guide how each is managed. † (p. 69) Looking back at Jesus’ Ministry one is inclined to conclude that He (Jesus Christ) was the greatest leader of all times, the world has and will ever know because he combined the leadership and follower-ship virtues to the successfully weave His Ministry among all the generations. He clearly demonstrated perfect leadership while fully submitted to His father’s will – what a blessing to have a Savior who took on flesh and walked this earth, a great High Priest who is familiar with our sufferings†¦ an effective leader. Dr. Ken Collier, a Christian Camp Counselor says it this way, â€Å"Jesus Christ had a sharply focused view of exactly what His Father desired of him. No trial no deprivation, no conflict, no misunderstanding, and no death threat made Him swerve from following the will of his father. What a leader, what a follower! †[Collier, 2004] Dr. John McArthur appropriately asks a few questions in, The Book of Leadership: â€Å"First, what makes a good leader? Is it rank, status, celebrity, clout, or even style? Is leadership automatically bestowed by a box on the organizational chart? Where do position and power figure into the formula for leadership? And what is the ideal model for leaders? Is it the corporate chief executive officer? Or the military commander? Or even the head of state? † [MacArthur, 2004] Jesus Christ answers all these questions in a few words. His views on leadership are conspicuously out of step with the conventional wisdom of our age. Jesus Christ said, â€Å"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great, exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great (the leader) among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be among you, let him be your slave (Matthew 20:25-28 NKJV). † Going by this principle, one will not fail to truly be convinced, that the truest form of leadership demands service, sacrifice, and selflessness. A proud a self-promoting person is not a good leader by Jesus’ standards, regardless of how much clout s/he might wield. Leaders who look to Jesus Christ as their leader and their supreme model of leadership will have servants’ hearts. They will exemplify sacrifice and follower-ship. Burns (1978) summed up what is expected of a leader, that; â€Å"it is beyond just accomplishment of shared objectives to include followers values and motivations: as leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals that represent the values and the motivation – the wants and the needs, the aspirations and expectations – of both leaders and followers. And the genius of leadership lies in the manner in which leaders see and act on their own and their followers’ values and motivations. † (p. 19) A leader must learn, practice, and master follower-ship in order to ever gain a position of leadership – Joshua learned, practiced, and mastered Moses’ concepts of leadership and as a result he successfully led the Canaanites. Dr. James Montgomery Boice, senior pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church, president and cofounder of â€Å"The Bible Study Hour†, comments this way: â€Å"Nearly everyone wants to be prosperous as a result of their leadership, yet most fail. What is the problem? The problem is that we do not follow the divine formula for success. † [Boice, 1969] Depree (1989) defines a true servant leadership this way; â€Å"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. That sums up the progress of the artful leader. † (p. 11) That is what we so badly need today in a leader: not increasingly clever methods, still less increasingly clever people, but obedience informed and motivated by living and abiding example of Jesus Christ. To be a leader does not necessarily require an appointment or election. God chooses leaders; He equips them with the true leadership skills and knowledge so that they may help others become good leaders and followers. If one is endowed with the true leaderships skills, then it is his/ her responsibility to help others, an example of such situation is exemplified by Mr. Alber Survovik, a Christian business man, Caldwell ISD School Board Trustee, Burleson County, and Texas Appraisal District Board Director. His is a case of true leadership endowed by God, he assets that, â€Å"Professionally I am an Automation Systems Analysis at APC, a LocalAdLink representative and a rancher. My family loves getting away to our West Texas Hill Country Hunting and Camping Ranch. I enjoy meeting new people and helping others. One might say that I have a servant’s heart. † [Surovik, 2009] It should be noted that leadership is essential. Without leadership in any organization, it flounders and staggers on a haphazard course. Without leadership, an organization is unable to fulfill its core purposes. Simply, the idea of someone leading others is rooted in the Scriptures. For someone to assume the role of the leader and to expect others to follow his or her example is not egotistical, authoritarian, condescending, or sinful. We are assured of this because the Scriptures lay down the basis and guidelines for leadership. [MacArthur, 2005] The author of this paper is a United States Navy Flag Writer, who as expected swore to protect the constitution of the United States, and to follow the orders of those appointed over him. As a Navy flag Writer, the person appointed over him are always admirals. Admirals are men and women who make serious decisions in support of national security, thereby defined as leaders. The choice of this particular career was fundamental as it directly enables him to serve Jesus Christ by serving â€Å"those appointed over him†, as well as those who serve under him. By following the orders of the Admiral, he then can lead those who serve him. He does this by applying the principles discussed in this paper. He constantly remind himself whenever he is faced with making a tough leadership decision, that first, he is a follower – not just of a Navy Admiral, but of Jesus Christ. He reminds himself that although Jesus is the Christ, and that He epitomizes leadership, He did remove his outer garments and wash the feet of those he led. This does not imply that the author cordons washing someone’s feet per se, but the application and example still stands – for one to be a leader, s/he must be a follower. This is what is defined as servant leadership, and it has its place throughout the military, the business world, and our society as a whole. In conclusion, it is vital to a servant reader that he or she be endowed by a meek and quiet spirit. Meekness and quietness are like a precarious gem to a leader. The 17th century puritan, and personal hero to the author of this paper, Mathew Henry describes this so eloquently: [Henry, 1996] â€Å"Quietness is the evenness, the composure, and the rest of the soul, which speaks both the nature and the excellence of the grace of meekness. The greatest comfort and happiness of man is sometimes set forth by quietness. That peace of conscience which Christ has left for a legacy to His followers, that present sabbatism of the soul, which is an earnest of the rest that remains for the people of god, is called ‘quietness and assurance forever,’ and is promised as ‘the effect of righteousness’ (Isaiah 32: 17), and it follows, ‘My peace shall dwell in quiet resting places. ’ So graciously has God been pleased to entwine interest with us, as to enjoin the same thing under the notion of a duty which He proposes and promises under the notion of a privilege. Justly may we say we serve a good master, whose ‘yoke is easy’ (Mathew 11: 30). † References: Parry, K. (2008). The Thing About Metaphors and Leadership. International Journal of leadership, Volume 1, Issue 1, 2008, pp. 8 -9, accessed on March 6, 2009 Greenwood, R. A. Gibson, J. W. & Murphy, E. F. (2008). An Investigation of Generational Values in the Workplace: Divergence, Convergence and Implications for Leadership, Journal of leadership, Volume 1, Issue 1, 2008, p. 69, accessed on March 6, 2009 Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, p. 19, accessed on March 6, 2009 Depree, M. (1989). Leadership is an art. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, P. 11, accessed on March 6, 2009 Matthew 20:25-28 NKJV; Isaiah 32: 17; and, Mathew 11: 30; New King James Version (NKJV) Bible, accessed on March 6, 2009 Boice, James M. â€Å"Joshua. † An Expositional Commentary. 1989. Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, MI, accessed on March 6, 2009 Collier, Ken & Williams, Matthew. â€Å"Biblical Leadership. † Becoming A Different Kind Of Leader. 2004. Ambassador Emerald International. Greenville, SC, accessed on March 6, 2009 Davis, John J. â€Å"Conquest and Crisis. † Studies in Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. 1969. Wipf and Stock Publishers. Eugene, OR, accessed on March 6, 2009 Henry, Matthew. â€Å"The Quest for Meekness and Quietness of Spirit. † 1996. Soli Deo Gloria Publications. Morgan, PA, accessed on March 6, 2009 MacArthur, John. â€Å"The Book on Leadership. † 2004. Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nashville, TN, accessed on March 6, 2009 MacArthur, John. â€Å"Pastoral Ministry. † How to Shepherd Biblically. 2005. Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nashville TN, accessed on March 6, 2009 Surovik, Albert. A Personal Testimony. 2009, available at; http://albertsurovik. blogspot. com/2007/03/testimony-of-mike- napoli. html, TN.

Sir Gawain & the Green Knight

Middle English love is that of abiding the rules of chivalry and the subservience to God. Within Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, love is emanated within this form of a romantic poem. This fifteenth century poem was written with all the characteristics of love and its challenges that so often come with it. The story of the intrusive Green knight ends up having a twist that confronts the norms that knights have adopted. Sir Gawain, a model for knights in the Arthurian kingdom, ultimately redefines himself and his love for all codes of his kingdom manner.Through this romantic journey the model knight will rediscover the truth through deception. The many forms of love including chivalry, spiritual and courtly love will become strengthened through the Green knight challenge. Chivalry is a common theme within Sir Gawain, â€Å"By champions of chivalry achieved in arms. † (95) From the dinner scene in part one to the illustrious battle at the Green Chapel in Part 3. The love of keep ing their virtues was imbedded in all aspects of the story.Sir Gawain was the epitome for these virtues, through his valiant journey to the Green Chapel and strong will against the lady of the house. â€Å"With the pentangle portrayed in purest gold. † (620) The five points of pentangle represent his perfection over evil. He loves being faultless in decisions that as long as he stays to the five points the Lord would keep him. With the five points on the front of his shield and Mother Mary on the back he had all the armor one needed. A great romance mustn’t be left without spiritual love, especially to a chivalric knight.Gawain’s truth to his faith has him praying for help, â€Å"that Mary may be his guide. † (738) His prayers were answered soon after from which a â€Å"wondrous dwelling [appeared]. † (763) The great feasts also show the love of their God for the extravagant meals that are abundantly shown. â€Å"Great is God’s grace, and g oodly indeed. † (920) Which is expressed for the gratitude of Gawain’s presence. The importance and love of faith in Gawain’s quest does not come without its trials. The lovely lady of the house became another test of his chivalry and faith. With guile in her heart,† (1472) she makes several attempts to test Gawain’s strength. With her permission to â€Å"lay on as you like,† (1503) she also uses her cunning to pursue and manipulate his love. â€Å"For loyal faith in love, in life as in story,† (1513) she tempts him with courtly love to abide by the chivalrous approach. To have relations while her â€Å"husband is not nearby,† (1533) from which was made under thrice. â€Å"The two converse as friends of true love’s trials and bliss,† (1506) this spoken from the narrator hints to love being a state of suffering within the story.Although they may love and suffer Gawain becomes better for it. Through his mistakes over love and faith it eventually leads him to a better understanding and a united brotherhood with the green girdle. The significance of the knight’s honor and brotherhood is mentioned throughout. â€Å"To counsel their comrade, with care in their hearts,† (558) after love for God the counsel and brotherhood is most important. Their â€Å"beneficence boundless and brotherly love,† (652) was shown before Gawain took forth.Even after Gawain confessed to the kingdom that he had not met his journey with success he was still comforted by the king. â€Å"The king comforts the knight, and the court all together. † (2513) Gawain wore the â€Å"badge of false faith that [he] was found in there. † (2509) As a sign of deep support and love by his fellow brothers, he was met with all bearing the green sash. Clearly it is evident that love plays a crucial role in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. Although the love is enduring for Gawain it was not as it seemed.The t rue love is what ended up being his true suffering. Gawain’s struggles through keeping his five points of perfection, his composure with the lovely lady and the brotherhood that supported him no matter what the outcome. These were the true challenges that love had brought about. His Lord and Mother Mary guidance to the castle had also been a test to his capabilities. Though he did his most human effort to stay true to his virtues the test of the Green knight was just that. To breakdown the perfection of the knight hood ideals and come out stronger for it.