Heres the One of the Oldest Peace Treaties from the Ancient World

Here's the One of the Oldest Peace Treaties from the Ancient World columbia.edu/cu/arthistory/faculty/Bahrani.htmlLets head back to the Early Dynastic Period in ancient Mesopotamia: more specifically, the southern part, a.k.a. Sumer. Around 2500 B.C., the predominant polities, resulting from consolidation of power in small areas, were city-states; they began compete for domination of local resources and influence. Two in particular, Umma and Lagash, battled particularly hard, resulting in the Stele of the Vultures, one of the oldest historiographical monuments. Pretty epic.   There are seven remaining fragments of the Stele of Vultures, now in the Louvre. Found on what was once the town of Girsu, part of Lagashs sphere of influence, it was erected by one Eannatum, ruler of Lagash, around 2460 B.C. The stele depicts Eannatums version of his conflict with the neighboring city-state of Umma over a tract of land bordering both territories. The inscription on the stele is quite long, longer than most votive plaques, indicating that this is a new type of monument. One of the first monuments we know to be intended for public view, its also one the first example historians have of ancient rules of war. The stele has two sides: one historical and one mythological. The first features several different registers, most of which depict the military campaign waged by Lagash against Umma. A chronological narrative is divided into an easily readable tripartite story. One register depicts Eannatum, clad in a fleecy garment worn by kings (here, we see the development of the image of the warrior-king), and marches with tons of fierce soldiers with pikes. Lagash tramples its enemies into the ground. The second register shows a victory parade, soldiers marching behind their king, the next register brings to life funerary proceedings, in which the men of Lagash bury their massacred enemies. On the reverse of the stele, we get the mythological story of how the divine forces intervened on behalf of Lagash. Its in direct contrast to the historiographic narrative featured on the previous side of the stele. According to Eannatum, he was the son of his citys patron god, Ningirsu. Its on behalf of Ningursu that Eannatum claims he went to war; after all, the city of Lagash and its boundaries belonged to the god himself, and it was sacrilege to transgress upon his land. Vultures swarm around the bodies, giving the stele its name. Depicted most prominently on this side is Ningursu, holding the enemy soldiers of Umma in a giant net, the ​shushgal  net.  In one hand he holds the net; in the other is a mace, with which he smacks nude soldiers  in  the net. On top of the net sits a symbol of Ningursu, the mythical  imdugud  bird. Made up of an eagle body and a lion head, the hybrid creature personified the power of rainstorms. As Ningursu, shown as bigger than any human, single-handedly dominates these soldiers, we see the god as a wielder of power on his own; the king served the god of his city (and his putative father), not the other way around. So this imagery is great, but what about the actual treaty between the kings of Lagash and Umma? Placed on the boundary between the two cities, this monument involved oaths to half a dozen really important Sumerian deities, who were always invoked in treaties as witnesses. The men of Umma were supposed to swear by Enlil, another important god, that theyd respect the boundary and the stele. In exchange for Umma giving up its claim to Lagashs land, though, Eannatum promised to rent another tract of territory to Umma. Later, though, it was revealed that Umma never paid rent, so the cities went to war again. Eannatums successor, Enmetena, had to push his enemies back again. In addition to creating a new treaty, Eannatum showed himself a restorer of old monuments, reaffirming himself as a builder-king in the vein of his predecessors, as he rebuilt a stele put up there by King Mesalim of Kish years earlier.   Sources include Zainab Bahranis classes at Columbia University.

Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln - Article Example This article was published in the April 2009 issue of Harvard Business Review. The article includes an interview conducted between the author of the article and Doris Kearns Goodwin, who is the author of a 2005 bestseller book. The author has developed the interview by asking various questions relating to how President Abraham Lincoln was the best president America has ever seen and what made him develop such good qualities of leadership. Goodwin has also replied quite well to the questions asked and has quoted various examples along with presenting similarities and the dissimilarities between Abraham Lincoln and President Obama. The article is based on a number of insights, the basic one being that the lessons of leadership that were learned from Abraham Lincoln can not only be applied to the political viewpoint but also has the capacity to be utilized in other fields of life. Goodwin brings to the audience’s attention that both the former and current presidents always prefer those people who are best at what they do regardless of their dislikes towards the president himself. The basic purpose of choosing such colleagues was to work with people who had the ability to disagree and argue with the president at times when he was considered wrong. The next key concept that has been discussed in the interview is that even though the colleagues question our decisions and thinking regarding the situation, at the end of the day it is the leader who has to make the decisions and stand firm on that decision. The author quotes an example regarding the abolishment of slavery in the United States where many cabinet members opposed Lincoln but he made his decisions on what he felt was right. The author talks about other characteristics of Abraham Lincoln such as his emotional intelligence, which allowed him to learn from his mistakes, his charisma that made him loved by all even his competitors and

Sandy Springs Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sandy Springs Community - Essay Example I live in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a city full of life and robust business. Under the clear skyline on a sunny day, Sandy Springs has a spectacular view. The city has towering buildings that forms offices and business space. It is due to the high number of offices and business premises in the city, that Sandy Springs is always a buzz with activity. I am a Catholic, an astute follower of Christian doctrines. For four years, I played basketball in high school, winning different medals in different basketball competitions. I count myself as a motivational force to the young people, especially those who have the passion of pursuing sports as a career. Through my basketball talent, I was able to tour different places within and around Sandy Springs. Therefore, I frequently join them in our local church’s pitch and provide them with free training on how to become a successful basketball player. I also play the piano in my church, as well as take part in different social work. Sandy S prings has different hospitals, treating people with different kinds of sicknesses or injuries. Annually, I donate blood to these hospitals, with the knowledge that I play a big role in saving other people’s lives. Sandy Springs has different kinds of people. Wealth, education, career, religion and beliefs divide people into different classes and groups. Wealthy Sandy Springs dwellers substantially differ with the poor. Lifestyle is one of the differentiating factors between the dwellers. Although religion and beliefs play a significant role in differentiating people in Sandy Springs, its impact is rarely, felt like that brought about by the wealthy and the rich in the society. A common belief among the people in Sandy Springs, which doubles as a Christianity belief is the equality of all people before God. Thus, we do not judge people according to their religion. While Christianity is the dominant religion, Islam is also popular. Still, a section of Indians living in the city believes in Hinduism. There is also a temple somewhere at the middle of the city, where Jews worship. Churches are all over, with some of the newest established ministries and others, which have existed over a long time. No form of personality or character defines people in Sandy Springs in relation to their beliefs and religion. Most people in Sandy Springs city work in offices; others own different businesses in the city. This forms the class difference between the rich and the poor, as successful business owners have more wealth than the working class. There is no equitable distribution of wealth in the community. The richest people who live in the suburbs have better lifestyles than those living in the heavily populated estates. Down town, Sandy Springs is a buzz with all kinds of business, while the uptown has a cool and serene environment. These people afford to live in expensive homesteads, with guards and alarms connected to the police station. They enjoy personalized services like the EMS, have towering walls to themselves and receive reliable services such as internet connectivity, among others. Serenity defines these areas, with more vegetation cover in the surroundings, springs and grass . These are however the few minority with resounding influence in either the business or political classes in Sandy Springs. They take their children to good schools, can afford the best cars, wine and dine in prestigious hotels and restaurants. Rarely does the rich class take a bus to work, or wait for the train. Their children drive to school, of course in expensive cars just like their parents. Contrary to these people is the working class, which either takes a bus to work or boards the morning train. Their children afford to skate to school, or ride, but cannot drive. Even if they drove, their cars match less with those of the rich. They go to the general schools, with minimal specialization in the kind of learning they provide. These people live in the populated neighborhoods, with little security.

Study of Organizational Culture and the Indian Army

Study of Organizational Culture and the Indian Army THE INDIAN ARMY is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. It came into being in 1947 when India gained independence, and inherited most of the infrastructure of the British Indian Army that was located in post-partition India. It is a voluntary service and though there is a provision for military conscription in the Indian constitution, it has never been imposed. The Indian Army is the worlds second-largest standing army whose primary mission is to ensure the national security and defense of the Republic of India from external aggression and threats and maintaining peace and security within its borders. It also conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural calamities and other disturbances. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Army. CULTURE is comprised by the customs, heritage and achievements of a particular segment of society. Organizational culture is the psychology, attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values of an organization and its employees. In this case, we talk about the army. As an organization, its culture is the sum total of the activities and ideas shared by this group of people with its common requirements, customs, laws and traditions. These are percolated across the Army by the thoughts and feelings of the people concerned and are reinforced by actions of individuals and sub-groups to present a whole picture of a common and shared perception of a uniform blend of ideals working and striving towards the achievement of a common goal. By ultimately working in accordance with and in response to a single will, political and military they attain the objectives laid down for them in peace, and particularly during operations in war. This is how the Army is designed and it is mandatory that this design is followed in the best manner possible for maintaining and preserving the solidarity and cohesion of the force and its professional competence. The two epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata constitute the framework on which the edifice of Army is built. The elements of culture have been imbibed a lot from these two epics. Even in the Indian army just like Mahabharata, the good of the nation is put first rather than the individual. In terms of power distribution just like the Ramayana the Indian Army is a well structured organisation. There is a central authority of power which releases orders, the people at various levels follow orders from the superior and respect them at the same time. There are clear cut guidelines for each and every army personnel to follow and deviations from the same are not appreciated in the Institute. Army as an institute lays special emphasis on attention to details as they need to be sure of everything before going out for war. The armed personnel have both facets in their personality they are aggressive when required and can be stable when required. The Indian army has people orientation also as part of its culture. It believes more than the artillery the men are their biggest strength. They have proper training facilities to inculcate them into the culture of the Indian Army. To further understand the culture of the Indian Army we interviewed three Army personnel. The following is a gist of the three interviews What are key facets of Culture of the Indian Army? The key facets of Indian Army include a sense of bonding, they are a unit which is closely knit, an extremely disciplined bunch of people with high levels of motivation. They have high respect for what they do and their peer group. In practise, a lot of times the Indian Army does not receive its promised share of returns and hence the general moral of the troops takes a dip. This can be attributed to bureaucratic interference. How does the organisation structure impact culture? The organisation structure helps them integrate with the culture, since it clearly defines roles of individuals. At the same time it also brings in a sense of respect towards their seniors. How do the forces men get to know about the culture of Indian Army when they are recruited? Culture is imbibed in the men right from the days of training. It is a rigorous training method followed at the IMA/NDA/OTA to train these bright young individuals to become men of the Indian army. During the training period through their interactions with seniors the recruits learn more than the functionalities of the Indian Army. They say it is one the best ways in which culture is imbibed in the minds of these young individuals. What is sought after in Indian Army the larger Interest or Individual requests? Its the interest of the nation that is the most important thing for any of the armed forces men. He puts the nation before everything in his life. How clearly are roles defined in the Indian Army? Roles are very clearly defined in the Indian Army. A hierarchy structure is in place. The posting of individuals happens on the basis of role requirement and then finding the best fit. Does culture also evolve and is there scope for new traditions? Indian army is an institute which believes in continuous development for the better, at the same it believes in maintaining its rich heritage. In a nutshell it amalgamates the old and new and ensures the best is created. But it likes to hold on to its past a lot. Any knowledge of cross culture impact of the people as they come from various backgrounds? It is probably the best example to understand homogeneity in heterogeneity. The backgrounds which people come from are diverse but at the same time at the centre of their diversity is unity which binds them to guard their nations boundaries. Due to varied backgrounds, individuals learn to appreciate others and also at the same time learn to celebrate differences. How important is detailing as a facet of culture in the Indian Army? The most important facet of Indian Armys culture is detailing. One cannot go to battle field without knowing every detail of war. Special emphasis is laid on detailing right from the training period of each and every personnel. An eye for detailing is extremely important as well as highly appreciated in the Indian Army. How does the Indian army communicate its culture to the outside world? Each army personnel is the brand ambassador of the Indian army. He/She is role model for todays youth and carries himself accordingly. Besides Indian army leads by example in every aspect it gets itself involved in. But in totality the army is a very closed organisation and not appreciative unwarranted interaction with the outside world. How do you deal with someone who does not follow the culture of Indian Army? For somebody who is not in line with the culture, they are various stages of ensuring that the person is brought in line with the culture like warnings and annual reports. But if all the options dont work out then Court Marshall is also an option which is exercised where the armed personnel is made to forfeit his position and honour associated with it. FUNCTIONAL AND DYSFUNCTIONAL ASPECTS The mission statement of the Indian Army is not a very clearly defined one. On a broader perspective the Indian Army stands for the following ideology: The Indian Army doctrine defines it as The Indian Army is the land component of the Indian Armed Forces which exist to uphold the ideals of the Constitution of India. As a major component of national power, along with the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, the roles of the Indian Army are as follows: Primary: Preserve national interests and safeguard sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of India against any external threats by deterrence or by waging war. Secondary: Assist Government agencies to cope with proxy war and other internal threats and provide aid to civil authority when requisitioned for the purpose. Following is the tabulation of the functional and dysfunctional aspects of the Indian Army: Functional Aspects Dysfunctional Aspects It is a highly integrated organization Interference by the bureaucracy. The bureaucracy tries to influence decision making and hence some decisions tend to go haywire, creating confusions for the people around. The motivational levels of the personnel of the Armed Forces are extremely high which is needed for the job profile that they have. Red Tapism. There is a lot of lethargy in some departments to get the things to action. This is quite unacceptable for an institution like the Indian Army. There is immense respect for an individual as well as for the team spirit. Distributed decision making. This causes some crucial decisions to be delayed. The organization has an excellent training programme, which grooms the complete personality of an individual instead of focussing on one aspect. Budget allocations are not defined within the Organization. Hence, the allocation is not even sometimes. They have extremely high standards for selection to the Indian Army, and despite a manpower crunch they have decided not to lower the selection criterion. Indian Army needs to attract the correct talent, which currently it is unable to do. This can be attributed to the lack of proper and correct information to the youth. Very good quality of life for the people who are a part of the Indian Army. Lobbying for promotions. At the senior level, there is a lot of push and pull for getting the coveted positions. This creates an unhealthy environment in the organization. Indian Army ensure a good post retirement life. Low incentive remunerations. Anomalies in the pay structure for the armed forces are a common occurrence. Indian Army provides opportunities to experience various cultures and live in various places as a part of their tenures. ACTION PLAN Based on the derived dysfunctional aspects, we can note that the discrepancies occur on two fronts: External influences Internal functions The issues caused by external influences include: Interference by the bureaucracy The Army should set such high standards that its perceived image is one where it only serves its mission and cannot be influenced. This image will deter all kinds of informal requests and interferences. This can be done by giving more autonomy to the forces in the framework of the organizations serving the country. The issues caused by internal functions include: Red tapism The Army witnesses excessive regulation and rigid conformity to formal rules that at times prevents swift action or decision-making. The organization should allow for flexibility in structure of actions and decision making. Also, it can include cutting of red tape as a policy promise. Hierarchical decision making Orders issued by Army personnel are of critical importance, and thus the decisions to these orders need to be taken on time without any delays. This can be done by empowering officials at different levels so that decisions can be immediately taken and there arises no need to wait for sanctions from the top order when it is urgent. Uneven budget allocations Studying and understanding of every departments needs, will help carry out equal and effective budget distributions. This will ensure availability of all needed resources to all departments. Poor perceived image The armys current image is unable to attract attention of the youth for new recruits. This can be fixed by better communication and public relations exercise. Lobbying for promotions It is crucial for every organization to ensure that there are no unethical practises taking place. To prevent any lobbying for promotions, the Army should give due appraisals based on merit at the right time. It should also devise a protective mechanism for all those who report these unethical practises; this will help report all such malpractices. Unequal remuneration compared to other Government Organizations This brings about lack of motivation in the Army officials. The Government must ensure that the relative appraisals in all its organizations are at par. Acknowledgement We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Shubhra Gaur for giving us this opportunity to conduct research on the Indian Army and its Culture and to study the various functional and dysfunctional aspects associated with this organization. We would also like to thank Maj.Gen.(Retd) D.V. Kalra, VSM for helping us understand the culture and working style of the Indian Army..

Fundamental Principle of Arbitration Essay

In other word, arbitration is the outcome of a private agreement between parties to settle their disputes from the courts, and submit it to the decision of a private tribunal. If the principle of privacy is breached, the arbitration will be effected. The second principle is confidentiality. It is when that all takes place at arbitration is confidential. Either party or tribunal cannot disclose to third person without the consent of the other except for the purpose of the proper conduct of the arbitration. However, there is a question regarding to these two principles which is whether privacy automatically results in confidentiality or does it automatically demand confidentiality. There are two main areas of confidentiality which are confidentiality prior to award and confidentiality after award. According to English law, there are two opinions regarding with this issue. First, if it was absence of an express term in an arbitration clause providing for confidentiality, the presumption of confidentiality will applies. Second, the general duty of confidentiality cannot be implied in a silent clause for arbitration in an agreement. However, this opinion has been criticized since it is a break with the general principle of confidentiality. In Malaysia, there is no doubt that privacy and confidentiality are regarded as essential features for the parties to the arbitration. An arbitrator in breach of the confidentiality requirements would be exposed to misconduct proceedings. Finally, the duty of confidentiality is not absolute and was subject to limited qualifications or exceptions such as consent, compulsion of law, disclosure by leave of the court or disclosure necessary for the purpose necessary of protecting the interest of an arbitrating party.

The Hidden Gem of Essay Samples of Taj Mahal

The Hidden Gem of Essay Samples of Taj Mahal The Hidden Facts About Essay Samples of Taj Mahal Board members are going to have place to create announcements and bring up community difficulties. On the very first day, you are going to be getting a guided tour of this city. Each year thousands of visitors arrive at the Agra to see its attractiveness. You will be able to observe all famed places. Our food came out promptly! The buffet also has vegetarian choices. Since then the place attracted a great deal of domestic and global travelers and is presently one of the top tourist destinations in India. Such fantastic service each moment! The Birth of Essay Samples of Taj Mahal The maturation of the industries is essential but not at the expense of the surroundings. The 2 structures not only offer an architectural symmetry, but in addition result in an aesthetic color contrast. Every one of the segments is divided by various channels. It started to entice lots of people from some other cultures due to its beauty and the mystery behind it. It's famous all around the world. Its special beauty attracts the interest of the folks of the nation and foreign nations. In addition, it reminds us of the ability of love and the way it can set an example for generations to come. The immediate effect of the attacks was felt on the continuing peace process between the 2 nations. Utilizing eco-friendly fuels in vehicles like CNG may also be beneficial. A well designed and simple to use website can assist the residents of your association by making them feel as they are a part of the community. Lies You've Been Told About Essay Samples of Taj Mahal Taj Mahal is unique for assorted factors. He took many years to get completed. He is indeed a beautiful place. He is one of the main reasons why India is famous. The actual graves are merely beneath it. On her death-bed you promise her you won't ever remarry and you'll build a monument inside her memory. So the fighter plane doesn't observe the Taj Mahal. It's also one of the marvels of the world that are found in the Agra Uttar Pradesh India. It is situated in the Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It's said that the government of India set a ban on the more research of the presence of Taj Mahal. The majority of the India seek tourist on the planet is at Taj Mahal. What You Don't Know About Essay Samples of Taj Mahal It is among the greatest and highly attractive monuments of the world that has been mentioned as the 7th wonders of earth. There's a tomb in the middle of the plataorm. Furthermore, the vault leaves one particular panting in wonder. Small craters were all around the ground and bullet marks all over the walls. Mortared regions of the marble buildings are stained or painted in a contrasting colour which produces a complicated selection of geometric patterns. The four smaller domes emphasize the form of the dome. The Taj isn't an isolated phenomenon, the creation of one mastermind but the glorious consummation of a fantastic epoch of art. Inside are utilized to continue the history, is among the golden temple earlier. Before studying the tomb ornamentation, it is essential to contemplate the terrace construction. The roof is composed of white silk. The dome is a little more asymmetrical. It is made of white marble.

What Is a Post Hoc Logical Fallacy

Post hoc (a shortened form of post hoc, ergo propter hoc) is a logical   fallacy in which one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because it occurred earlier. Although two events might be consecutive, says Madsen Pirie in How to Win Every Argument (2015), we cannot simply assume that the one would not have occurred without the other. Why Post Hoc Is a Fallacy Post hoc is a fallacy because correlation does not equal causation. You cannot blame your friends for a rain delay just because every time they go with you to a ballgame it storms and play is delayed. Likewise, the fact that a pitcher bought new socks before he pitched a winning game does not mean that new socks cause a pitcher to throw faster. The Latin expression  post hoc, ergo propter hoc  can be translated literally as after this, therefore because of this. The concept can also be called faulty causation,  the fallacy of false cause,  arguing from succession alone  or assumed causation. Post Hoc Examples: Medicine The search for causes of diseases is rife with post hoc examples. Not only are medical researchers constantly seeking causes of or cures for medical maladies, but patients are also on the lookout for anything—no matter how unlikely—that might help to alleviate their symptoms. In some cases, there is also a desire to find a cause outside of genetics or luck which can be blamed for health or developmental challenges. Malaria The long search for the cause of malaria was fraught with post hoc fallacies. It was observed that persons who went out at night often developed the malady. So, on the best post hoc reasoning, night air was assumed to be the cause of malaria, and elaborate precautions were taken to shut it out of sleeping quarters, explained author Stuart Chase. Some scientists, however, were skeptical of this theory. A long series of experiments eventually proved that malaria was caused by the bite of the anopheles mosquito. Night air entered the picture only because mosquitoes preferred to attack in the dark. (Guides to Straight Thinking. Harper, 1956) Autism During the early 2000s, the search for a cause of autism led to vaccines, though no scientific link has been found between the administration of vaccines and the onset of autism. The time that children are vaccinated and the time theyre diagnosed do closely correlate, however, leading upset parents to  assign blame to the immunizations, for lack of a better explanation.  Ã‚   Post Hoc Variation: Inflated Causality In the inflated causality version of post hoc, the proposed idea tries to boil down a happening to one singular cause, when in actuality, the event is more complex than that. However, the idea is not completely untrue, which is why its called  inflated  rather than just completely faulty. For example, each of these explanations is incomplete: Attributing the cause of World War II to only Adolf Hitlers hatred of the JewsSuggesting that John F. Kennedy won the presidency over Richard Nixon exclusively because of the debate on TVBelieving that the cause of the Reformation was simply Martin Luther posting his thesesExplaining that the U.S. Civil War was fought only because of slavery Economics is a complex issue, so it can be a fallacy to attribute any particular happening to just one cause, whether it be the latest unemployment statistics or one policy being the magic fuel for economic growth.   Post Hoc Examples: Crime In a search for reasons for increased crime, a New York Times article ((Sewell Chan, Are iPods to Blame for Rising Crime? September 27, 2007) looked at a report that appeared to blame iPods: The report suggests that the rise in violent offending and the explosion in the sales of iPods and other portable media devices is more than coincidental, and asks, rather provocatively, Is There an iCrime Wave? The report notes that nationally, violent crime fell every year from 1993 to 2004, before rising in 2005 and 2006, just as America’s streets filled with millions of people visibly wearing, and being distracted by, expensive electronic gear. Of course, as any social scientist will tell you, correlation and causation are not the same thing.