In The Years Following The Civil War, The United States Underwent A Pr

In the years following the Civil War, the United States underwent a profound Industrial Revolution. This revolution forever changed the face of America and forced all aspects of society to adapt to the sweeping changes that were taking place. During this period of unprecedented economic growth, both business and labor in the U.S. had to deal with the consequences that accompanied the emergence of radically new technologies and the reluctance of the government to exert any sort of control on our booming industries. To begin with, it may be helpful to examine the factors that led up to the Industrial Revolution in America and catalyzed the rapid growth of the U.S. economy. First of all, America was laden with precious natural resources necessary for industrial growth. These resources included coal, iron ore, copper, lead, oil, and timber (1,3). The presence of these vital resources in such large amounts gave us an inherent advantage over countries that had to import most of their raw materials (i.e. Great Britain, Japan, etc.). Secondly, the United States was blessed with an abundance of cheap labor, mainly immigrants (1,3). Thirdly, the development of new technologies allowed for more work to be done in less time and by fewer people. Fourthly, foreign investment was plentiful because of the influx of money from wealthy Europeans who sought to make a profit off of America's industrial success (1,3). And lastly, American businesses profited smartly from the government's industry-friendly policies such as subsidizing railroads with land grants and loans and supporting American made goods through the presence of protective tariffs (1,3). All of the above factors combined to have a profound effect on businesses in the United States. Increased business leadership, markets, labor, capital, and government support led to the development of big businesses (2). The first of the nation's big businesses were the railroads (1,2,3). By laying tracks all across the country, railroad companies were able to link together once-isolated markets and, in turn, make handsome profits. Enterprising capitalists such as Cornelius Vanderbilt managed to gain the upper hand on the competition by using uniform gauged tracks and selling stock in their companies to investors (1,2). In this newly competitive American marketplace, businesses soon found that it was no longer feasible to just peacefully coexist with one another. In a free market economy, they found that it was necessary to kill or be killed. In order to ensure prosperity and eliminate competition, many railroad companies resorted to devious and unlawful tactics. Such underhanded sch emes included pooling, in which several companies teamed up to shut out competitors, and offering rebates and kickbacks to favored shippers, while charging farmers and other small customers exorbitant rates (2,3). Methods such as these came to characterize big business in an era of uncontrolled capitalism, where the government did little to intervene and for the most part let American industry turn into a free-for-all. Other highly influential strategies for amassing wealth and eliminating competition were perfected by the juggernauts of the steel and oil industries, Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockerfeller, respectively. Carnegie was able to dominate the steel industry through the use of a business strategy known as vertical integration (2). Vertical integration entailed the controlling of every aspect of the industrial process. Carnegie Steel would therefore be in charge of every step necessary to steel making, from the mining of raw materials to the shipping of the finished product (2,3). Rockerfeller's company, Standard Oil, employed the use of a somewhat different method known as horizontal integration (1,2). This tactic consisted of the mother company acquiring all its competitors and bringing them all under one corporate umbrella. They would then be managed by a board of trustees that Rockerfeller and Standard Oil controlled. Although horizontal and vertical integration were based on slightl y different methodologies, they both had the same end result- a virtual stranglehold on that company's particular market. After examining all the foul play that was going on and the anti-competitive nature of business during the Industrial Revolution, one would probably wonder why the government did nothing to reform big business. There are several answers to this question. First of all, it was the prevailing mindset of the time that business should not be regulated by the

Biography of Czar Nicholas II, Last Czar of Russia

Biography of Czar Nicholas II, Last Czar of Russia Nicholas II (May 18, 1868–July 17, 1918) was the last czar of Russia. He ascended to the throne following the death of his father in 1894. Woefully unprepared for such a role, Nicholas II has been characterized as a naà ¯ve and incompetent leader. At a time of enormous social and political change in his country, Nicholas held fast to outdated, autocratic policies and opposed reform of any kind. His inept handling of military matters and insensitivity to the needs of his people helped to fuel the 1917 Russian Revolution. Forced to abdicate in 1917, Nicholas went into exile with his wife and five children. After living more than a year under house arrest, the entire family was brutally executed in July 1918 by Bolshevik soldiers. Nicholas II was the last of the Romanov Dynasty, which had ruled Russia for 300 years. Fast Facts: Czar Nicholas II Known For: Last Czar of Russia; executed during the Russian revolutionBorn: May 18, 1868 in Tsarskoye Selo, RussiaParents: Alexander III and Marie FeodorovnaDied: July 17, 1918 in Ekaterinburg, RussiaEducation: TutoredSpouse: Princess Alix of Hesse (Empress Alexandra Feodorovna)Children: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and AlexeiNotable Quote: â€Å"I am not yet ready to be Tsar. I know nothing of the business of ruling.† Early Life Nicholas II, born in Tsarskoye Selo near St. Petersburg, Russia, was the first child of Alexander III and Marie Feodorovna (formerly Princess Dagmar of Denmark). Between 1869 and 1882, the royal couple had three more sons and two daughters. The second child, a boy, died in infancy. Nicholas and his siblings were closely related to other European royalty, including first cousins George V (future king of England) and Wilhelm II, the last Kaiser (Emperor) of Germany. In 1881, Nicholas’ father, Alexander III, became czar (emperor) of Russia after his father, Alexander II, was killed by an assassins bomb. Nicholas, at age 12, witnessed his grandfathers death when the czar, horribly maimed, was carried back to the palace. Upon his fathers ascension to the throne, Nicholas became the Tsarevich (heir-apparent to the throne). Despite being raised in a palace, Nicholas and his siblings grew up in a strict, austere environment and enjoyed few luxuries. Alexander III lived simply, dressing as a peasant while at home and making his own coffee each morning. The children slept on cots and washed in cold water. Overall, however, Nicholas experienced a happy upbringing in the Romanov household. The Young Tsarevich Educated by several tutors, Nicholas studied languages, history, and the sciences, as well as horsemanship, shooting, and even dancing. What he was not schooled in, unfortunately for Russia, was how to function as a monarch. Czar Alexander III, healthy and robust at 6-foot-4, planned to rule for decades. He assumed there would be plenty of time to instruct Nicholas in how to run the empire. At the age of 19, Nicholas joined an exclusive regiment of the Russian Army and also served in the horse artillery. The Tsarevich didnt participate in any serious military activities; these commissions were more akin to a finishing school for the upper class. Nicholas enjoyed his carefree lifestyle, taking advantage of the freedom to attend parties and balls with few responsibilities to weigh him down. Prompted by his parents, Nicholas embarked upon a royal grand tour, accompanied by his brother George. Departing Russia in 1890 and traveling by steamship and train, they visited the Middle East, India, China, and Japan. While visiting Japan, Nicholas survived an assassination attempt in 1891 when a Japanese man lunged at him, swinging a sword at his head. The attackers motive was never determined. Although Nicholas suffered only a minor head wound, his concerned father ordered Nicholas home immediately. Betrothal to Alix and the Death of the Czar Nicholas first met Princess Alix of Hesse (daughter of a German Duke and Queen Victorias second daughter Alice) in 1884 at the wedding of his uncle to Alixs sister Elizabeth. Nicholas was 16 and Alix 12. They met again on several occasions over the years, and Nicholas was adequately impressed to write in his diary that he dreamed of one day marrying Alix. When Nicholas was in his mid-20s and expected to seek a suitable wife from the nobility, he ended his relationship with a Russian ballerina and began to pursue Alix. Nicholas proposed to Alix in April 1894, but she didnt immediately accept. A devout Lutheran, Alix was hesitant at first because marriage to a future czar meant that she must convert to the Russian Orthodox religion. After a day of contemplation and discussion with family members, she agreed to marry Nicholas. The couple soon became quite smitten with one another and looked forward to getting married the following year. Theirs would be a marriage of genuine love. Unfortunately, things changed drastically for the happy couple within months of their engagement. In September 1894, Czar Alexander became gravely ill with nephritis (an inflammation of the kidney). Despite a steady stream of doctors and priests who visited him, the czar died on November 1, 1894, at the age of 49. Twenty-six-year-old Nicholas reeled from both the grief of losing his father and the tremendous responsibility now placed upon his shoulders. Czar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Nicholas, as the new czar, struggled to keep up with his duties, which began with planning his fathers funeral. Inexperienced in planning such a grand-scale event, Nicholas received criticism on many fronts for the numerous details that were left undone. On November 26, 1894, just 25 days after Czar Alexander’s death, the period of mourning was interrupted for a day so that Nicholas and Alix could marry. Princess Alix of Hesse, newly converted to Russian Orthodoxy, became Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The couple returned immediately to the palace after the ceremony as a wedding reception was deemed inappropriate during the mourning period. The royal couple moved into the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo just outside of St. Petersburg and within a few months learned they were expecting their first child. (Daughter Olga was born in November 1895. She was followed by three more daughters: Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia. The long-anticipated male heir, Alexei, was finally born in 1904.) In May 1896, a year and a half after Czar Alexander died, Czar Nicholas’ long-awaited, lavish coronation ceremony finally took place. Unfortunately, a horrific incident occurred during one of the many public celebrations held in Nicholas’ honor. A stampede on the Khodynka Field in Moscow resulted in more than 1,400 deaths. Incredibly, Nicholas did not cancel the ensuing coronation balls and parties. The Russian people were appalled at Nicholas handling of the incident, which made it appear that he cared little about his people. By any account, Nicholas II had not begun his reign on a favorable note. The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) Nicholas, like many past and future Russian leaders, wanted to expand his country’s territory. Looking to the Far East, Nicholas saw potential in Port Arthur, a strategic warm-water port on the Pacific Ocean in southern Manchuria (northeastern China). By 1903, Russia’s occupation of Port Arthur angered the Japanese, who had themselves recently been pressured to relinquish the area. When Russia built its Trans-Siberian Railroad through part of Manchuria, the Japanese were further provoked. Twice, Japan sent diplomats to Russia to negotiate the dispute; however, each time, they were sent home without being granted an audience with the czar, who viewed them with contempt. By February 1904, the Japanese had run out of patience. A Japanese fleet launched a surprise attack on Russian warships at Port Arthur, sinking two of the ships and blockading the harbor. Well-prepared Japanese troops also swarmed the Russian infantry at various points on land. Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, the Russians suffered one humiliating defeat after another, both on land and sea. Nicholas, who had never thought the Japanese would start a war, was forced to surrender to Japan in September 1905. Nicholas II became the first czar to lose a war to an Asian nation. An estimated 80,000 Russian soldiers lost their lives in a war that had revealed the czars utter ineptitude at diplomacy and military affairs. Bloody Sunday and the Revolution of 1905 By the winter of 1904, dissatisfaction among the working class in Russia had escalated to the point that numerous strikes were staged in St. Petersburg. Workers, who had hoped for a better future living in cities, instead faced long hours, poor wages, and inadequate housing. Many families went hungry on a regular basis, and housing shortages were so severe that some laborers slept in shifts, sharing a bed with several others. On January 22, 1905, tens of thousands of workers came together for a peaceful march to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Organized by radical priest Georgy Gapon, protesters were forbidden to bring weapons; instead, they carried religious icons and pictures of the royal family. Participants also brought with them a petition to present to the czar, stating their list of grievances and seeking his help. Although the czar was not at the palace to receive the petition (he had been advised to stay away), thousands of soldiers awaited the crowd. Having been informed incorrectly that the protesters were there to harm the czar and destroy the palace, the soldiers fired into the mob, killing and wounding hundreds. The czar himself did not order the shootings, but he was held responsible. The unprovoked massacre, called Bloody Sunday, became the catalyst for further strikes and uprisings against the government, called the 1905 Russian Revolution. After a massive general strike had brought much of Russia to a halt in October 1905, Nicholas was finally forced to respond to the protests. On October 30, 1905, the czar reluctantly issued the October Manifesto, which created a constitutional monarchy and an elected legislature, known as the Duma. Ever the autocrat, Nicholas made sure the powers of the Duma remained limited- nearly half of the budget was exempted from their approval, and they were not allowed to participate in foreign policy decisions. The czar also retained full veto power. The creation of the Duma appeased the Russian people in the short run, but Nicholas’ further blunders hardened his people’s hearts against him. Alexandra and Rasputin The royal family rejoiced at the birth of a male heir in 1904. Young Alexei seemed healthy at birth, but within a week, as the infant bled uncontrollably from his navel, it was clear that something was seriously wrong. Doctors diagnosed him with hemophilia, an incurable, inherited disease in which the blood will not clot properly. Even a seemingly minor injury could cause the young Tsesarevich  to bleed to death. His horrified parents kept the diagnosis a secret from all but the most immediate family. Empress Alexandra, fiercely protective of her son- and his secret- isolated herself from the outside world. Desperate to find help for her son, she sought the help of various medical quacks and holy men. One such holy man, self-proclaimed faith healer Grigori Rasputin, first met the royal couple in 1905 and became a close, trusted advisor to the empress. Although rough in manner and unkempt in appearance, Rasputin gained the Empress trust with his uncanny ability to stop Alexeis bleeding during even the severest of episodes, merely by sitting and praying with him. Gradually, Rasputin became the empress closest confidante, able to exert influence upon her regarding affairs of state. Alexandra, in turn, influenced her husband on matters of great importance based upon Rasputins advice. The Empress relationship with Rasputin was baffling to outsiders, who had no idea that the Tsarevich  was ill. World War I and the Murder of Rasputin The June 1914  assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand  in Sarajevo set off a chain of events that culminated in  World War I. The fact that the assassin was a Serbian national led Austria to declare war on Serbia. Nicholas, with the backing of France, felt compelled to protect Serbia, a fellow Slavic nation. His mobilization of the Russian army in August 1914 helped to propel the conflict into a full-scale war, drawing Germany into the fray as an ally of Austria-Hungary. In 1915, Nicholas made the calamitous decision to take personal command of the Russian army. Under the czars poor military leadership, the ill-prepared Russian army was no match for the German infantry. While Nicholas was away at war, he deputized his wife to oversee affairs of the empire. To the Russian people, however, this was a terrible decision. They viewed the empress as untrustworthy since she had come from Germany, Russia’s enemy in  World War I.  Adding to their mistrust, the Empress relied heavily on the despised Rasputin to help her make policy decisions. Many government officials and family members saw the disastrous effect Rasputin was having on Alexandra and the country and believed he must be removed. Unfortunately, both Alexandra and Nicholas ignored their pleas to dismiss Rasputin. With their grievances unheard, a group of angry conservatives soon took matters into their hands. In a murder scenario that has become legendary, several members of the aristocracy- including a prince, an army officer, and a cousin of Nicholas- succeeded, with some difficulty, in  killing Rasputin  in December 1916. Rasputin survived poisoning and multiple gunshot wounds, then finally succumbed after being bound and thrown into a river. The killers were quickly  identified but were not punished. Many looked upon them as heroes. Unfortunately, the murder of Rasputin was not enough to stem the tide of discontent. The End of a Dynasty The people of Russia had become increasingly angry with the governments indifference to their suffering. Wages had plummeted, inflation had risen, public services had all but ceased, and millions were being killed in a war they didn’t want. In March 1917, 200,000 protesters converged in the capital city of Petrograd (formerly St. Petersburg) to protest the czars policies. Nicholas ordered the army to subdue the crowd. By this point, however, most of the soldiers were sympathetic to the protesters demands and thus just fired shots into the air or joined the ranks of the protesters. There were still a few commanders loyal to the czar who forced their soldiers to shoot into the crowd, killing several people. Not to be deterred, the protesters gained control of the city within days, during what came to be known as the February/March  1917 Russian Revolution. With Petrograd in the hands of revolutionaries, Nicholas had no choice but to abdicate the throne. Believing that he could somehow still save the dynasty, Nicholas II signed the abdication statement on March 15, 1917, making his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail, the new czar. The grand duke wisely declined the title, bringing the 304-year-old Romanov dynasty to an end. The provisional government allowed the royal family to stay in the palace at Tsarskoye Selo under guard while officials debated their fate. Exile of the Romanovs When the provisional government became increasingly threatened by the Bolsheviks in the summer of 1917, worried government officials decided to secretly move Nicholas and his family to safety in western Siberia. However, when the provisional government was overthrown by the Bolsheviks (led by  Vladimir Lenin) during the October/November 1917 Russian Revolution, Nicholas and his family came under the control  of the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks relocated the Romanovs to  Ekaterinburg  in the Ural Mountains in April 1918, ostensibly to await a public trial. Many opposed the Bolsheviks being in power; thus, a civil war erupted between the Communist Reds and their opponents, the anti-Communist Whites. These two groups fought for control of the country, as well as for custody of the Romanovs. When the White Army began to gain ground in its battle with the Bolsheviks and headed toward  Ekaterinburg  to rescue the imperial family, the Bolsheviks made sure that rescue would never take place. Death Nicholas, his wife, and his five children were all awakened at 2 a.m. on July 17,  1918, and told to prepare for departure. They were gathered into a small room, where  Bolshevik soldiers fired upon them. Nicholas and his wife were killed outright, but the others were not so fortunate. Soldiers used bayonets to carry out the remainder of the executions. The corpses were buried at two separate sites and were burned and covered with acid to prevent them from being identified. In 1991, the remains of nine bodies were excavated at  Ekaterinburg. Subsequent DNA testing confirmed them to be those of Nicholas, Alexandra, three of their daughters, and four of their servants. The second grave, containing the remains of Alexei and his sister Marie, was not discovered until 2007. The Romanov familys remains were reburied at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the traditional burial place of the Romanovs. Legacy It might be said that the Russian Revolution and the events that followed were, in a sense, the legacy of Nicholas II- a leader who was unable to respond to changing times by considering the needs of his people. Over the years, research into the final fate of the Romanov family has revealed a mystery: while the bodies of the Czar, Czarina, and several children were found, two bodies- those of the Alexei, heir to the throne, and Grand Duchess Anastasia- were missing. This suggests that perhaps, somehow, two of the Romanov children actually survived. Sources Figes, Orlando. From Tsar to U.S.S.R.: Russias Chaotic Year of Revolution. October 25, 2017. â€Å"Historic Figures: Nicholas II (1868-1918).† BBC News.ï » ¿Keep, John L.H. â€Å"Nicholas II.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 28 Jan. 2019.

The Dark Ages a Prelude to Light and Renaissance Essay

The Dark Ages - a Prelude to Light and Renaissance - Essay Example Another was the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans which marked the historical ending of the Middle Ages. But major developments in art and architecture were one of the key features during this period. An attempt is made to review the art and architecture during this period loosely based on Laurie Schneider Adam’s book ‘A History of Western Art.’ Proposed review will follow the art and architecture during the early Christian era, followed by the influence of Byzantine culture. Islamic and Ottoman influence is covered next after which the Roman style that was seen during the period will be reviewed. Next comes the Gothic style and the building of the many great cathedrals that one sees in Europe. Even though referred to as the dark ages, many developments that evolved during the Renaissance period had its base in the Middle Ages. Hence this period is very relevant in a humanities course. One institution that held on strongly after the fall of the Roman Empire was the undivided Christian church. Christians were allowed open worship by the Edict of Milan which ultimately resulted in the religion becoming very widespread. Christian architecture flourished during the early days of the Middle Ages and was characterized by two types of structures namely a longitudinal basilica and the centralized baptistery. â€Å"The exteriors of Early Christian buildings were plain and unadorned and the interiors contrarily were richly decorated with marble floors and wall slabs, frescoes, mosaics, metal works, hangings, and sumptuous altar furnishings in gold and silver.† (Early Christian Art). Some examples include the churches of San Stefano Rotondo and the Baptistery of Constantine. Byzantine art and architecture were greatly influenced by Rome because the cultural and social foundation of that great city was undeniable Roman. But most monuments during this period were also greatly influenced by East European architecture and the Hellenized East.

Celebrity vs. Ordinary People Phenomenon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Celebrity vs. Ordinary People Phenomenon - Essay Example According to Franklin (1997), who has introduced such definition as â€Å"newszak†, there is a salient change in journalism’s priorities that can be explained with freelancing and unstable working conditions of reporters. It has been found that to attract as many viewers and readers as possible in extremely competitive environment, journalists use tricky method of raising people’s interest with a help of celebrities’ lives. They prefer divulge news in a soft manner due to the dominant position of sensationalism in people’s perception tendency. People start to value more the news about entertainment sphere than some actions and events with world-wide significance. Therefore, by its level of popularity public service media gradually starts to exceed coverage of political, economic and social news of the world. Due to Rojek (2001), there are three major interconnected historical facts that have managed to intensify implementation of celebrity phenomeno n in media, such as social democratization, drop of organized religion, and increase of influence of goods and services in day-to-day person’s activity. Numerous authors claim that modern society is affected by so called pseudo-events that demonstrate the obliteration between reality and fantasy (Rojek 2001). However, this peculiarity draws audience’s attention managing to propagandize role models and considerably enhance rating of consecutive TV show or magazine. Investigating consumer’s behavior on the market of goods and services, it has been noticed that today potential customers are more informed than several years ago, that is why it is hard to impress or fascinate... Famous people have managed to occupy every sphere of our life. Giles states that fame should be considered more as a process than current status, which can benefit every disputed sphere. People are still considered to be inferiors in media business. Hence, today reporters divulge only that news which authorities need to disclose, otherwise, some serious facts can be secretly hidden from audience if this information somehow is able to damage influential people. Government uses media for being able to influence and manipulate population; meanwhile, ordinary people naively accept it as a fair surge of democratization. Access of common people to media has commercial ground, because giving people opportunity to be closer to the process of news’ creation makes friendly atmosphere and relationship between population and authorities and helps government to eradicate unnecessary opinion within mass and lobby individuals to follow proclaimed principles. In opinion of different authors, modern journalism suffers from crisis of legitimacy. Therefore, it is recommended to create explanatory journalism with opinions and multi-perspective news (Allan, 2011, p. 264). In addition, it is urgent to provide new methods of people’s participation in state’s life, because as Turner (2010, p. 72) claims ‘ordinary people’ phenomenon is just another â€Å"exclusively economic method† that is not able to democratize society the way it can be falsely assumed. For enhancing democratic level of the country, more radical measures should be implemented.

Time Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Time Management - Research Paper Example The pressure to keep deadlines and to deal with increasing work load within the limited time available urges to have scientifically designed time management plans. Researchers have been focusing in this area and there are literature available confirming the impact of time management on different areas including management, education and personal life. It has been confirmed that positive approaches on time management results in effective outcomes in terms of the psychological well being of the individual and also the organizational effectiveness. This in turn results in positive personal and organizational outcomes. Time Management Processes The primary approach towards effective time management includes time assessment, goal setting, planning and monitoring (Claessens et al., 2007). Observing oneself while engaging in a particular task and reviewing it both quantitatively and qualitatively in terms of time is the primary step which is referred to as time assessment. This gives precis e information on the average time taken for a particular task. For instance, time assessment assesses time taken by the individual to travel from residence to the college or to the office. Similarly, time estimations on every task involved in the routine of the individual can be closely done through this process. This would serve as an indicator of the effective time required to undertake a specific activity (Claessens et al., 2007). It will also help to calculate the number of effective hours. Time discounting which has been confirmed as a major issue in time management also can be identified here and dealt with (Koch & Kleinmann,2007) With time assessment done, one can have measurable indicators on his or her capability to undertake a task. In other words, the time required for the successful completion of a particular task is understood completely through this estimation (Claessens et al., 2007). Thus the person is ready for the goal setting to be done. Here, an achievable goal i n accordance to the observations made through the time estimation is done. This goal will be achievable in terms of time, as this has direct reference to the estimation of time which is specific to the person involved. For instance, with reference to the time estimation, if a person sets an objective that a particular technique will be learnt within two days, this is the goal set by that person. In ideal situations, these goals can be achieved within the set limit of time (Claessens et al., 2007). The next step involves creating a plan facilitating the achievement of this goal or in combination with other goals. Here the complexity is that these goals will be coinciding with a number of other activities. Thus it is important to prioritize goals and other activities to have a prioritized list of activities (Claessens et al., 2007). However, there could be some unforeseen circumstances which could come in during the implementation of this plan. Apart from these there could be factors which would consume time and were missed to be considered while doping the planning. To investigate the effectiveness of the time plan implementation, it is important to monitor the effectiveness of the implementation. The unforeseen and missed out time consumers will be identified in this stage. This process will help to confirm the effectiveness

Manuscript Submission and Peer- review System

Manuscript Submission and Peer- review System World’s First Manuscript Submission and Peer- review System  Integrated with Social Networking Dr. Antony Raj*, Balaji Jagadeesan, Muthumariappan M and  Bhuvaneswari Ranganathan Abstract: Any major change in the way people communicate is bound to have major implications for education. Today, in the fast paced life, promoting self written research article/publications is very important to improve the citation of the article and credit to the author’s original concept. Social media has become this significant part of our modern civilization. Manuscript Management system (MMS) – developed by J-Technologies India Limited, made it simple for the authors to share their research papers to their social network and professional network in a jiffy. Introduction During the early days, scholars and researchers wrote their articles and published them in journals. Traditionally, library patrons and researchers came to the library to read or to make copies of these articles. To some extent publishers and vendors competed to receive orders from libraries. The first journal was started during 1665 in France. It was called Journal des sà §avans. The new era of on-line electronic publishing, however, has changed the way of accessing information for scholars and researchers. With the emergence of the electronic publishing, scholars and researchers are able to publish articles on-line without going through a publisher or a vendor and users can access information without going to the library. (Blake 2000) Scientists seek out publication outlets that maximize the chances of their work being cited for many reasons. So, they adapted well to utilize social media from the start to share their resources, discuss the issues they face and also to be known in the scientific community. Citations provide stable links to cited documents and make a public statement of intellectual recognition for the cited authors. Citations are an indicator of the dissemination of an article in the scientific community and provide a quantitative system for the public recognition of work by qualified peers. Having work cited is therefore an incentive for scientists, and in many disciplines it forms the basis of a scientist’s evaluation. (Clark, D. 2012). Social networking as a key to improve citation Social networking websites (Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus etc.,) have become increasingly integrated into the way many people today act, think, and relate to each other. Social networking has a multitude of implications for the field of education and these impact students, educators, administrators, and parents alike. There are numerous challenges and opportunities offered by these sites and making out the maximum from the social networking cloud in terms of getting ones research known. Sonali Guha. (2014) Ease of Sharing with Social network integration The usage of social network is vast and everyone wants to be updated about various things from basic daily occurrences to complicated rocket science. When one shares ones scientific work the rate  at which the work is read increases. This does not stop here, but also; if the research is interesting or novel, people tend to share and also spread the information and this will bring in more people to read and refer the particular research work. Recent updates about current, ongoing research are available in various journals. Some being open access and other require subscription. These journals are known to only limited number of people and not to all. Although, researchers read numerous articles they usually do not take time to share new work through social network due to lack of time even it’s as simple as a copy paste of a url. So this new innovation of integration of social networking in scientific journals aids in easy sharing of information and also acts as a tool. Angell. B and Gabie E. (2012) Integration of Social Networking Portals. Integration of scientific journal with Social networking sites through the Application Programming Interface (API) was first developed by J-Technologies India Limited in the year 2012 and was implemented in their own journal â€Å"Online Journal of BioSciences and Informatics†. Advantages of integration of social networks into journal portals As previously mentioned, social networking acts as a great tool for marketing. The better a scientist’s work is known, better is the appreciation of the work. When a research article is marketed well, the probability of the citation also increases which in turn leads to better impact factor (a rating given by Thomson Reuters). Higher the value, the better the rating of the researcher. This will help the researcher in many ways including getting placed in a better lab, getting research grants etc. Claire Saxby, (2004) Summary Online Journal of BioSciences and Informatics (JBI) have implemented the system of social networking to share the articles. Although, researchers read numerous articles they usually do not take time to share new work through social network due to lack of time even it’s as simple as a copy paste of a url. So this new innovation of integration of social networking in scientific journals aids in easy sharing of information and also acts as a tool. Citations are an indicator of the dissemination of an article in the scientific community and provide a quantitative system for the public recognition of work by qualified peers. Having work cited is therefore an incentive for scientists, and in many disciplines it forms the basis of a scientist’s evaluation. Social networking can help scientists in across many countries get the opportunity to meet and participate in the international research. References Clark, D. (2012). Social Media: Why It Matters to Everyone in Education.The International HETL Review. Volume 2, Article 8, http://www.hetl.org/opinion-articles/social-media-why-it-matters-to-everyone-in-education/ Sonali Guha. (2014) How Social Media Has Changed the World? 5 Impacts of Social Media on Our Lives.  http://webseo22.hubpages.com/hub/How-Social-Media-Has-Changed-the-World-Impact-of-Social-Media-on-Our-Lives Blake (2000) E-Journals: advantages, disadvantages and criteria for selection.  http://lisnews.org/node/1513 Angell. B and Gabie E. (2012) Editors Insights on the Costs and Benefits of Online Journals .  http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/Winter-Spring-1998/angell.html Adam Geib, (2013) Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Access.  http://www.edanzediting.com/blog/advantages_and_disadvantages_open_access#.Uww-X86hZHM Anonymous, (2013) Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Access Journals. http://monlywhite.blogspot.in/2013/02/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-open.html Anonymous, (2010). Benefits of Open Access for research dissemination  http://www.openoasis.org/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=146Itemid=308   Claire Saxby, (2004) http://www.oxfordjournals.org/news/oa_report.pdf

The Patriot Act Essay -- USA Terrorism Surveillance Wire Tapping

The Patriot Act In the wake of September 11, many things happened very quickly. Along with the beginning of a 'war' against terrorism, an act was passed to help prevent future terrorism in the USA. The name of this is the USA Patriot Act. The act legalizes many surveillance techniques that were once prohibited. The act has been passed without debate, and the new privileges given to our government have not been thoroughly examined. The law enforcers of our country are now capable of monitoring the citizens in ways most people are not aware of. Some of the surveillance laws are self-terminating after four years, but many of the more important laws are permanent. What will these new surveillance laws be used for after the war on terrorism is over? Lee Tien, the Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney, suggests that the new rights can be used to put America into a 'police state'. There is a need for checks and balances in the USA Patriot Act to protect the American citizens. There are two hundred ninety pages in the USA Patriot Act; many of these pages are discussing subjects that change the rights of American citizens forever. The act was passed in a little over a month, which suggest that few, if any, congressmen thoroughly read this detailed act. In times of crisis, history has proved that United States citizens willingly compromise their right of privacy without considering the consequences. Many people have openly accepted this act without knowing what it is, most people have never even heard of the USA Patriot Act. The USAPA (USA Patriot Act) has not gone under the scrutiny that any normal act would have, yet this could be more important than any other act to date. The USAPA allows national or domestic law enforces (from the NSA, FBI, and CIA all the way down to the local police) to tap your computer or voice mail with a simple search warrant issued by a judge. Only one out of ten thousand of these search warrants requests are rejected. The law enf orcers are also allowed to tap electronic devices without telling the victim about the warrant or that they are being monitored. Also, the CIA and other foreign agencies are allowed to share information with the domestic law enforcement. This means that agencies that were once not allowed to intervene in the affairs of the USA can do so without punishment. These are few of the many la... ...dly, there should be a report on if the information acquired is used in court. This is a check on the usefulness of the information gathered by the law enforcers, and a way to monitor the proper use of the search warrant. Fourthly, a check on how the information attained is to be shared with other law based government agencies. It is a way to protect the privacy of the victim, so people do not needlessly read private documents. Finally, the public should be aware of the success or failure of the system. The people should be informed if their loss of privacy has done what it is intended to, which is to protect the country. These checks and balances of the USA Patriot Act are needed if the men and women of the USA want to feel safe. Thus, the USAPA must have many checks as well as balances if the people of the United States are to be happy with it. Until then, people remain concerned that Congress has passed such extensive declines in the right of Americans to be liberated from dominating government observation. But having done so, it is essential that Congress where feasible, shares with the American nation basic information about how these wide new powers are being used.