Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Ted Sorensen on the Kennedy Style of Speech-Writing

Ted Sorensen on the Kennedy Style of Speech-Writing In his last book, Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History (2008), Ted Sorensen offered an expectation: I have little uncertainty that, when my opportunity arrives, my eulogy in the New York Times (incorrect spelling my last name by and by) will be inscribed: Theodore Sorenson, Kennedy Speechwriter. On November 1, 2010, the Times got the spelling right: Theodore C. Sorensen, 82, Kennedy Counselor, Dies. What's more, however Sorensen served as ​a advisor and modify inner self to John F. Kennedy from January 1953 to November 22, 1963, Kennedy Speechwriter was in fact his characterizing job. An alum of the University of Nebraskas graduate school, Sorensen showed up in Washington, D.C. incredibly green, as he later conceded. I had no administrative experience, no political experience. Id never composed a discourse. Id scarcely been out of Nebraska. In any case, Sorensen was before long approached to help compose Senator Kennedys Pulitzer Prize-winning book Profiles in Courage (1955). He went on to co-creator probably the most significant presidential discourses of the only remaining century, including Kennedys debut address, the Ich container ein Berliner discourse, and the American University initiation address on harmony. In spite of the fact that most history specialists concur that Sorensen was the essential creator of these smooth and persuasive addresses, Sorensen himself kept up that Kennedy was the genuine creator. As he said to Robert Schlesinger, If a man in a high office expresses words which pass on his standards and strategies and thoughts and hes ready to remain behind them and assume whatever fault or in this manner acknowledge go for them, [the discourse is] his (White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters, 2008). In Kennedy, a book distributed two years after the presidents death, Sorensen illuminated a portion of the particular characteristics of the Kennedy style of discourse composing. Youd be unable to locate a progressively reasonable rundown of tips for speakers. While our own speeches may not be very as earth shattering as a presidents, a large number of Kennedys expository techniques merit copying, paying little heed to the event or the size of the crowd. So whenever you address your associates or cohorts from the front of the room, remember these standards. The Kennedy Style of Speech-Writing The Kennedy style of discourse writingour style, I am not hesitant to state, for he never imagined that he had the opportunity to plan first drafts for all his speechesevolved bit by bit throughout the years. . . .We were not aware of following the detailed strategies later credited to these discourses by abstract examiners. Neither of us had any extraordinary preparing in sythesis, etymology or semantics. Our main rule was consistently crowd understanding and solace, and this implied: (1) short addresses, short conditions and short words, at every possible opportunity; (2) a progression of focuses or suggestions in numbered or legitimate arrangement any place proper; and (3) the development of sentences, expressions and passages in such a way as to streamline, explain and emphasize.The trial of a book was not how it appeared to the eye, yet how it sounded to the ear. His best passages, when perused out loud, regularly had a rhythm much the same as clear verseindeed now and again cat chphrases would rhyme. He was enamored with alliterative sentences, not exclusively for reasons of talk yet to fortify the crowds memory of his thinking. Sentences started, anyway inaccurate some may have respected it, with And or But at whatever point that improved and abbreviated the content. His regular utilization of runs was of far fetched linguistic standingbut it streamlined the conveyance and even the distribution of a discourse in a way no comma, bracket or semicolon could match.Words were viewed as devices of exactness, to be picked and applied with a craftsmans care to whatever the circumstance required. He jumped at the chance to be careful. Yet, on the off chance that the circumstance required a specific dubiousness, he would intentionally pick an expression of shifting translations as opposed to cover his imprecision in cumbersome prose.For he hated verbosity and vainglory in his own comments as much as he loathed them in others. He needed the two his message and his l anguage to be plain and straightforward, yet never disparaging. He needed his significant arrangement explanations to be certain, particular and distinct, staying away from the utilization of propose, maybe and potential choices for thought. Simultaneously, his accentuation on a course of reasonrejecting the limits of either sidehelped produce the equal development and utilization of stands out from which he later got recognized. He had a soft spot for one superfluous expression: The brutal realities of the issue are . . .in any case, with scarcely any different exemptions his sentences were lean and fresh. . . .He utilized practically no slang, vernacular, legalistic terms, compressions, clichã ©s, expand analogies or elaborate metaphors. He would not be folksy or to incorporate any expression or picture he thought about silly, boring or trite. He infrequently utilized words he thought about worn out: unassuming, dynamic, heavenly. He utilized none of the standard word fillers (e. g., And I state to you that is a real issue and here is my answer). What's more, he didn't spare a moment to withdraw from exacting principles of English utilization when he thought adherence to them (e.g., Our plan are long) would grind on the audience members ear.No discourse was more than 20 to 30 minutes in length. They were very short and excessively swarmed with realities to allow any abundance of simplifications and nostalgias. His writings squandered no words and his conveyance squandered no time.(Theodore C. Sorensen, Kennedy. Harper Row, 1965. Reproduced in 2009 as Kennedy: The Classic Biography) To the individuals who question the estimation of talk, excusing every single political discourses as insignificant words or style over substance, Sorensen had an answer. Kennedys talk when he was president ended up being a key to his prosperity, he told a questioner in 2008. His minor words about Soviet atomic rockets in Cuba helped resolve the most noticeably awful emergency the world has ever known without the U.S. discharging a shot. So also, in a New York Times opinion piece distributed two months before his demise, Sorensen countered a few fantasies about the Kennedy-Nixon discusses, including the view that it was style over substance, with Kennedy winning on conveyance and looks. In the main discussion, Sorensen contended, there was undeniably more substance and subtlety than in what currently goes for political discussion in our inexorably popularized, sound-chomp Twitter-fied culture, in which radical talk expects presidents to react to over the top cases. To get familiar with the talk and rhetoric of John Kennedy and Ted Sorensen, view Thurston Clarkes Ask Not: The Inauguration of John F. Kennedy and the Speech That Changed America, distributed by Henry Holt in 2004 and now accessible in a Penguin soft cover.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Creationism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Essay

The huge job of schools in instructing the number of inhabitants in understudies is one approach to ensure that the general public will have a brilliant future. Be that as it may, in the cases wherein unseemly training strategies are utilized, this fantasy might be undermined. An unmistakable model is the educating of creationism. Creationism is a point of view that recognizes a specific preeminent being to be the fundamental culprit of the presence of the universe, including mankind (Ruse, 2007). There is a recognizable gathering of individuals who principally has faith in this thought. Also, due to that partisan acknowledgment, some time ago schools turned into a subject of expectation in engendering this thought. In an a lot more prominent sense, creationism ought to never be instructed in schools essentially as a result of the bargaining impacts it will bring towards the trim of the understudies. The theme is a lot of focused towards the way of thinking of an individual and don't give any huge learning quality. This is in direct differentiation to the strategic the school to give just the sort of learning strategies dependent on precise, believable and logically detailed parts of information. Creationism will in general be of strict in nature. It generally hinders the characteristic progression of logical procedure to get familiar with the perceptible and sensible method of nature. Subsequently, it is truly conceivable that understudies may get confounded about their own discernment about the universe and every little thing about it. They may leave the pre-states of logical information for a more obvious idea of creationism. In addition, there might be cases in which a few understudies may feel denied of their privileges to accept what they need to as per their individual methods of reasoning throughout everyday life. Creationism is a one-sided type of conviction which just bases its belief system to an individual instinct. References Ruse, M. 2007. Creationism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Recovered January 14, 2008 from http://plato. stanford. edu/sections/creationism/.

Friday, August 21, 2020

Best Regards and Other Phrases You Should Never Use to Sign Your Email

Best Regards and Other Phrases You Should Never Use to Sign Your Email Email communication is everywhere. From emails sent for marketing purposes to those sent as communication between friends.Although emails between friends are not as common as business emails, they offer an opportunity to be updated on the other person’s life.From when they started being used, emails have become popular and are nowadays used for nearly every formal communication.With this widespread use, there has been a need to develop guidelines on how best to write emails. There are those methods taught in school many years ago.Then there are those learned in the “real” world.Regardless of the differences, there are things which remain standard.And just like rules, these are expected to be followed so as to ensure the communication is effective.Email Sign-OffsEverything that has a beginning has an end. This applies to emails too.As you begin an email with an appropriate salutation, so are you expected to end it accordingly.When it comes to emails, closing is more than a mere “goodbye” moment. More than just indicating the end of your email, your closing paints a picture. It is the last word in the communication you send.Remember that as opposed to a face-to-face conversation, email communication is mostly one-way until a reply is received.It is similar to the old walkie talkies which passed information only in one direction at a time.The recipient of the message would have to digest what had been said then respond if required to.But walkie talkies were a bit faster in the sense that you would be speaking to someone almost in real time. Emails rarely function like this.Unless the other person is replying immediately, there would be a delay in time. Possibly hours, days or even weeks.With that in mind, it is important that the last word you say wraps up your message in the right way.EMAIL CLOSINGS TO AVOIDIt is wise to look at how you should handle this portion of your communication.Below we look at some of the email closings which are not suited for business communication.More than that, after the list is a sample of alternatives you can use.Best RegardsThis email closing is one of the most commonly used.Whereas its popularity makes it an easy winner, questions may arise from its usage.First of all, the word regards is used for salutation. Yes, it is used for greetings.This noun has several meanings. Take a look at Merriam-Webster’s dictionary and you will get the picture. Meaning 4 part b(2) says that this word is used to show friendliness in greetings.Now, think about it. You have just written an email and you obviously greeted the intended recipient. Whether you used words like Dear sir or madam, Hello or Hi, why would you want to do it again?To make it worse, at the end of your email?And that’s not all, the regards you are giving are apparently the best.Really?RgdsThose who use this say it is the short form of Regards.But this is simply going too far with the desire to shorten words. It is too much of an attempt to shor ten a word which is already short.This particular one makes very little sense if any.An easy way to tell between a correct shortening and a wrong one is to read it aloud.For example, there are names like Beth coming from Elizabeth and Mike shortened from Michael.Read these aloud and you will agree that they make sense.But read Rgds aloud. How do you pronounce that?If you are emailing your buddy and this is the kind of words you two use, that is fine. However, keep in mind that this is not for formal communication like that done in business emails.If you ended your email with this and it was your first communication with someone serious, you might be seen as lazy.Too lazy to type out three letters to make the word complete.  ThanksThis is a word used to show gratitude. Using it means you are appreciating what someone has done for you.In most cases, it is a favor done for you. You either asked for it or the person just saw it fit to do you a favor. Or maybe they just did more than you expected of them.You are therefore thanking them.If you have written an email for the sole reason of thanking someone for something, then this is okay. But if that is not the case, don’t use it.Using it might send the wrong message. The recipient might wonder what you are thanking them for.Since email writing is not the same as text writing, the person will certainly make a conclusion.This conclusion would be what will stick as an opinion about you or your business.Thanks againThis is another version of the above closing. But there is something about it.Not only are you thanking the person you are emailing, you are doing it again.Just as in the example above, if there is something you are thanking the person for, that’s okay. If not, you are better off using a different closing.The word again indicates some emphasis. It indicates that although you have thanked the person, you see the need to do it again.Did he do something very big to deserve being thanked a couple of times? If so, go ahead. If not, delete the word and use an alternative.On the downside, this closing can work against you in a big way. Keep in mind that your closing has to be aligned to the content of your email.Let us say you are sending a sales pitch to a prospect you have been following up on.Then in your closing, you use any of the sign-offs from the Thanks category. This could be seen as a covert way of trying to get the prospect to buy.All sales communication is meant to persuade someone to buy. But when you do this, you are trying too hard to sell.The question is, are you a good salesman or a desperate one?SincerelyThis is a completely no-no for business emails.As much as the word seems to be portraying a good character trait, it is the wrong one to use.Yes, sincerity may point to integrity but this is not the right way to show your integrity.Do you remember when you wrote your cover letter? How did you end it?Yes, sincerely is the appropriate closing for a cover letter. It is very formal and is used when making applications.If you are not applying for a job, don’t use this closing.Cheers“Here’s to our continued friendship,” you say. In agreement, the other person says “cheers” as he raises his glass.That’s right. This word is used to mark a celebration.As a closing however, it is used when emailing friends. But this is not for everyone.Cheers is used by the British to end conversations.As such, can be used between two people of British origin.If you don’t fall into this category, don’t use the word.CiaoThis is a real closing, only that it is foreign to the English world.It is used in Italian circles and is very common among Italians.But as it happens, it’s usually easy and probably even fun to adapt new words into English.Especially when those words feel or sound good.If you are emailing an Italian whom you are friends with, you can close like this. If not, then drop the word.TTYL/TTYSFirst things first, what do these initials mean?TTYL †" Talk To You Later.TTYS â€" Talk To You Soon.There are some basic rules which apply to writing business emails and general official communication. One of them is that you should always avoid contractions and abbreviations.These tend to make the communication become too informal.Some abbreviations are also not very common. Others have multiple meanings.This is why it is just best to avoid them.Moreover, these sound pretty immature for the business world.These are not suited at all for email writing. They are only good for texting close friends or when ending a chat message.TAFNAs with the abbreviations above this one, this is not ideal for email communication.TAFN â€" That’s All For Now.In all practical sense, abbreviations cannot even gain much popularity among email writers.The context for which they are used demand a total departure from grammar and other formal communication rules.That is why they will most likely be used only in text chats.If they were to be used in emails, t hen the nature of the email communication would drastically change. There would be no grammar rules to be enforced. Only a liberal use of “new” words.Looking Forward to Hearing from YouThis is a common one especially when you are expecting some form of response from the person you are emailing. Whereas it may not sound or feel wrong, there is still a problem with it.The fact that you are expecting feedback is okay, but reminding the person that you are expecting it is not okay.When you use this closing, you are indirectly putting pressure on the recipient to reply to your email.This sign-off has the psychological effect of making the recipient feel guilty if they don’t respond.There can however be an exception.In most cases, this is used when making certain types of applications or requests.If you are doing so and the recipient is an organization receiving applications from people unknown to it, you can use it.But if the email is to a prospect you haven’t met in person, forg et it.You need to have discussed your product and gotten an assurance that there is a possibility of being considered.If you did this, then the sign off would be fine.It will serve to remind the prospect of your meeting or conversation and the reason for your writing. Speak With You SoonThis is similar to the one above only that it puts the pressure on you.You are actually putting pressure on yourself and committing to follow up on the communication you have initiated.It is important to understand the nature of true and effective communication.The other person must receive your message and understand it. He is also supposed to respond before you say more to him.With the pressure on you, are you aware that you might forget to speak with him soon?When you commit yourself like this, you will most likely give the other person a license to be passive.They can choose to remain quiet awaiting your follow-up mail.Who loses?More SoonSimilar to speak with you soon only that in this case you a re actually making an even bigger commitment.This is similar to when you are tasked with carrying out a feasibility study. You deliver a report but then promise to give a more comprehensive one later.When is later? No-one really knows. Not even you.At least because you didn’t specify the duration.If this is academic work, are you expecting to proceed to the next level?As far as your words of more soon are concerned, the job you did is incomplete. You shouldn’t have submitted it in the first place.The same applies to your email ending with this closing.What you are saying is that you did not give all the information required. More will be coming soon.As a result, you should not expect any reply, unless it’s a one-worded reply like “Okay.”Make sure you send the additional information soon.XOXOThis is a terrible one to use.Never in a business setup should this appear. Not only is it informal but it’s also completely inappropriate.The meaning of these four letters will show you why.According to Urban Dictionary, these letters mean hugs and kisses.Is this what you are writing to your boss, a colleague, or a customer?What if they asked you, “Who exactly are you hugging and kissing?”Unless you are emailing someone you are intimate with, avoid this completely.No matter how good your friendship is, this is no way to end your email. Some people are good to relate with in a casual sense.But if you misinterpret that to mean you can get this far with them, it might come across as disrespectful.Once the label is on you, there will no longer be any goodwill for a mutually-beneficial relationship.Ending With Your First InitialThis is a weird one. So weird that it’s actually confusing.Let’s say your first initial is the letter A. If this is the last thing written in your email, on its own line, what exactly is to be thought of it?The one reading your email may conclude that it’s a sign-off, but who is the sender?America? Antelope? Anaconda?There are many guesses and they can get really wild. You don’t want to leave it to people to guess your name. The results may not be funny. Furthermore, are you really expecting some relationship to build.For the sake of clarity, even if your name makes part of your email address, take the time to type it out properly. Don’t use your initials.Ending With Your NameIf you think that this is better than closing with your first initial, you are wrong.Yes, you have typed out your name in full, but couldn’t you type in something else to show some courtesy?Finishing your email with your name only is rather cold. It’s intimidating.Are you intending to make your recipient intimidated? Unless you are a mean boss. More of a dictator.In that case, be assured that you are losing a lot. The people you are working with are not giving you their best, regardless of what you think.Also, you could have many other opportunities to link with great people but your demeanor is pushing them away.You should learn how to relate with people and increase your chances of living a better life.Ending With No Sign-OffLike ending with your name, this is equally bad.This is not, and it cannot be understood as, a way of showing that you are in a hurry.This is simply rude.As if that is not enough, have you finished your message?It’s not clear because there is no closing in your email.The email closing is a part of the communication. It indicates that the message has come to an end.Otherwise it will not be known whether you sent the email unintentionally before finishing the writing.This could indicate that you were not keen when drafting the email.Something that could mean you don’t value the recipient.RECOMMENDED EMAIL CLOSINGS TO USEWith all the above email closings being problematic, here are some examples which you could comfortably use.These are applicable in various situations as mentioned.All the same, there is always the issue of considering the relationship between you and the email recipi ent.Some of the above sign-offs may not be the best but in a particular setting, you might be able to use them.Here are the recommended ways to sign your email.BestThis simple closing is used by many people. The main reason is that it is short enough to be typed quickly without losing meaning.As you would agree, writing Best is way better than Rgds in any setting. Unless it’s very informal.At the same time, when compared with Best Regards, the removal of the second word makes it cleaner. It also feels more open as opposed to tying it to some regards.Hope This HelpsThis is best for those instances when you are providing someone with some information. It may be an inquiry or some other form of request made to you.You will often have sourced for the information, i.e. if it’s not something you are currently aware of. Having put in efforts to give as much and relevant information as possible, you then close with this.Something else about this is that it allows the recipient to reques t for more information. Or to seek some clarification.Being open to more communication, especially when you are being helpful to others, builds stronger relationships. You get to be seen in good light.I Can’t Thank You EnoughThere will always be an opportunity to appreciate someone for something they have done. As mentioned about the sign-off Thanks, make sure you are thanking someone for something.This one in particular seems to be going deeper.You are essentially expressing your gratitude from your heart. And to recognize that your words aren’t enough, you show that your appreciation of them is really sincere.In view of that, this might be better preserved for situations where whatever has been done for you is quite big. Otherwise it might come off as exaggerated. With AppreciationThis closing is very appropriate for “small” favors. If you asked someone to do something that is not very far from their duties, you can thank them using this.Nevertheless, it can be used in mor e ways than that.For example, you might be in need of something that can only be provided by someone.When making the request, you can utilize this instead of the more common Looking forward to… family of sign-offs.Just note that this one is very formal.As such, it might be best for people you respect a lot, even though you may be at the same level or rank.Enjoy Your [Day of the Week]This is good for those emails which are not very serious.If you have developed a rapport with the other person, then this one is okay. It has a formal angle to it but isn’t too stiff to be reserved only for serious business.If the day of the week is Friday, this can be a very good way of ending your email. It automatically gets the person thinking of the weekend. It also creates a joyful atmosphere as it lightens them up.Have a Great DayFor the good wishes and an alternative way of going about it, this is a great one. It is also time-tested though isn’t a cliché.It is general in nature so it doesn ’t go overboard like the initials TGIF (Thanks God It’s Friday) would. It is short, straight to the point and does what it’s supposed to doâ€"signify the end of the email.SIGNING YOUR EMAILS CREATIVELYObviously, these are not the only options. Just as some people came up with common closings and created a standard, so can you also come up with something unique.In your creativity though, you have to be careful.The business world is largely reserved. It is also a serious one. Unless you are in the art industry, your creativity may not be appreciated by all.To get you started, here are some examples.Have a Fantastic MondayTo many, this might be an oxymoron since very few people expect Monday to be a fantastic day. But when you wish someone a fantastic Monday, they might actually experience it.First, this closing strikes them as odd but they soon catch the subtle humor in it. As such, it can easily get into their memory and they will remember it.Psychologically speaking, this will make the recipient’s mind want to experience a fantastic day. As such, It will seek to create the environment for the experience.Hope Your Week’s Off to a Good StartThis is another uncommon one.Actually, this is something that people say to one another in face-to-face and phone conversations. And it can be used in emails too.It indicates a genuine hope that things are going in the right direction.Saw That It’ll Be [Hot/Cold] in [Receiver’s City] â€" Stay [Cool/Warm]This is a sure way of personalizing your email. It shows that you are either thinking about the recipient or you are just well informed.But more than that, you wish them comfort.For more examples like these, check out this link and stir up your mind for better ways of ending your emails.CONCLUSIONThough no list can be complete, this can work as a guide.Apart from the recommended closings, exercise your creativity and sign your emails better.

Best Regards and Other Phrases You Should Never Use to Sign Your Email

Best Regards and Other Phrases You Should Never Use to Sign Your Email Email communication is everywhere. From emails sent for marketing purposes to those sent as communication between friends.Although emails between friends are not as common as business emails, they offer an opportunity to be updated on the other person’s life.From when they started being used, emails have become popular and are nowadays used for nearly every formal communication.With this widespread use, there has been a need to develop guidelines on how best to write emails. There are those methods taught in school many years ago.Then there are those learned in the “real” world.Regardless of the differences, there are things which remain standard.And just like rules, these are expected to be followed so as to ensure the communication is effective.Email Sign-OffsEverything that has a beginning has an end. This applies to emails too.As you begin an email with an appropriate salutation, so are you expected to end it accordingly.When it comes to emails, closing is more than a mere “goodbye” moment. More than just indicating the end of your email, your closing paints a picture. It is the last word in the communication you send.Remember that as opposed to a face-to-face conversation, email communication is mostly one-way until a reply is received.It is similar to the old walkie talkies which passed information only in one direction at a time.The recipient of the message would have to digest what had been said then respond if required to.But walkie talkies were a bit faster in the sense that you would be speaking to someone almost in real time. Emails rarely function like this.Unless the other person is replying immediately, there would be a delay in time. Possibly hours, days or even weeks.With that in mind, it is important that the last word you say wraps up your message in the right way.EMAIL CLOSINGS TO AVOIDIt is wise to look at how you should handle this portion of your communication.Below we look at some of the email closings which are not suited for business communication.More than that, after the list is a sample of alternatives you can use.Best RegardsThis email closing is one of the most commonly used.Whereas its popularity makes it an easy winner, questions may arise from its usage.First of all, the word regards is used for salutation. Yes, it is used for greetings.This noun has several meanings. Take a look at Merriam-Webster’s dictionary and you will get the picture. Meaning 4 part b(2) says that this word is used to show friendliness in greetings.Now, think about it. You have just written an email and you obviously greeted the intended recipient. Whether you used words like Dear sir or madam, Hello or Hi, why would you want to do it again?To make it worse, at the end of your email?And that’s not all, the regards you are giving are apparently the best.Really?RgdsThose who use this say it is the short form of Regards.But this is simply going too far with the desire to shorten words. It is too much of an attempt to shor ten a word which is already short.This particular one makes very little sense if any.An easy way to tell between a correct shortening and a wrong one is to read it aloud.For example, there are names like Beth coming from Elizabeth and Mike shortened from Michael.Read these aloud and you will agree that they make sense.But read Rgds aloud. How do you pronounce that?If you are emailing your buddy and this is the kind of words you two use, that is fine. However, keep in mind that this is not for formal communication like that done in business emails.If you ended your email with this and it was your first communication with someone serious, you might be seen as lazy.Too lazy to type out three letters to make the word complete.  ThanksThis is a word used to show gratitude. Using it means you are appreciating what someone has done for you.In most cases, it is a favor done for you. You either asked for it or the person just saw it fit to do you a favor. Or maybe they just did more than you expected of them.You are therefore thanking them.If you have written an email for the sole reason of thanking someone for something, then this is okay. But if that is not the case, don’t use it.Using it might send the wrong message. The recipient might wonder what you are thanking them for.Since email writing is not the same as text writing, the person will certainly make a conclusion.This conclusion would be what will stick as an opinion about you or your business.Thanks againThis is another version of the above closing. But there is something about it.Not only are you thanking the person you are emailing, you are doing it again.Just as in the example above, if there is something you are thanking the person for, that’s okay. If not, you are better off using a different closing.The word again indicates some emphasis. It indicates that although you have thanked the person, you see the need to do it again.Did he do something very big to deserve being thanked a couple of times? If so, go ahead. If not, delete the word and use an alternative.On the downside, this closing can work against you in a big way. Keep in mind that your closing has to be aligned to the content of your email.Let us say you are sending a sales pitch to a prospect you have been following up on.Then in your closing, you use any of the sign-offs from the Thanks category. This could be seen as a covert way of trying to get the prospect to buy.All sales communication is meant to persuade someone to buy. But when you do this, you are trying too hard to sell.The question is, are you a good salesman or a desperate one?SincerelyThis is a completely no-no for business emails.As much as the word seems to be portraying a good character trait, it is the wrong one to use.Yes, sincerity may point to integrity but this is not the right way to show your integrity.Do you remember when you wrote your cover letter? How did you end it?Yes, sincerely is the appropriate closing for a cover letter. It is very formal and is used when making applications.If you are not applying for a job, don’t use this closing.Cheers“Here’s to our continued friendship,” you say. In agreement, the other person says “cheers” as he raises his glass.That’s right. This word is used to mark a celebration.As a closing however, it is used when emailing friends. But this is not for everyone.Cheers is used by the British to end conversations.As such, can be used between two people of British origin.If you don’t fall into this category, don’t use the word.CiaoThis is a real closing, only that it is foreign to the English world.It is used in Italian circles and is very common among Italians.But as it happens, it’s usually easy and probably even fun to adapt new words into English.Especially when those words feel or sound good.If you are emailing an Italian whom you are friends with, you can close like this. If not, then drop the word.TTYL/TTYSFirst things first, what do these initials mean?TTYL †" Talk To You Later.TTYS â€" Talk To You Soon.There are some basic rules which apply to writing business emails and general official communication. One of them is that you should always avoid contractions and abbreviations.These tend to make the communication become too informal.Some abbreviations are also not very common. Others have multiple meanings.This is why it is just best to avoid them.Moreover, these sound pretty immature for the business world.These are not suited at all for email writing. They are only good for texting close friends or when ending a chat message.TAFNAs with the abbreviations above this one, this is not ideal for email communication.TAFN â€" That’s All For Now.In all practical sense, abbreviations cannot even gain much popularity among email writers.The context for which they are used demand a total departure from grammar and other formal communication rules.That is why they will most likely be used only in text chats.If they were to be used in emails, t hen the nature of the email communication would drastically change. There would be no grammar rules to be enforced. Only a liberal use of “new” words.Looking Forward to Hearing from YouThis is a common one especially when you are expecting some form of response from the person you are emailing. Whereas it may not sound or feel wrong, there is still a problem with it.The fact that you are expecting feedback is okay, but reminding the person that you are expecting it is not okay.When you use this closing, you are indirectly putting pressure on the recipient to reply to your email.This sign-off has the psychological effect of making the recipient feel guilty if they don’t respond.There can however be an exception.In most cases, this is used when making certain types of applications or requests.If you are doing so and the recipient is an organization receiving applications from people unknown to it, you can use it.But if the email is to a prospect you haven’t met in person, forg et it.You need to have discussed your product and gotten an assurance that there is a possibility of being considered.If you did this, then the sign off would be fine.It will serve to remind the prospect of your meeting or conversation and the reason for your writing. Speak With You SoonThis is similar to the one above only that it puts the pressure on you.You are actually putting pressure on yourself and committing to follow up on the communication you have initiated.It is important to understand the nature of true and effective communication.The other person must receive your message and understand it. He is also supposed to respond before you say more to him.With the pressure on you, are you aware that you might forget to speak with him soon?When you commit yourself like this, you will most likely give the other person a license to be passive.They can choose to remain quiet awaiting your follow-up mail.Who loses?More SoonSimilar to speak with you soon only that in this case you a re actually making an even bigger commitment.This is similar to when you are tasked with carrying out a feasibility study. You deliver a report but then promise to give a more comprehensive one later.When is later? No-one really knows. Not even you.At least because you didn’t specify the duration.If this is academic work, are you expecting to proceed to the next level?As far as your words of more soon are concerned, the job you did is incomplete. You shouldn’t have submitted it in the first place.The same applies to your email ending with this closing.What you are saying is that you did not give all the information required. More will be coming soon.As a result, you should not expect any reply, unless it’s a one-worded reply like “Okay.”Make sure you send the additional information soon.XOXOThis is a terrible one to use.Never in a business setup should this appear. Not only is it informal but it’s also completely inappropriate.The meaning of these four letters will show you why.According to Urban Dictionary, these letters mean hugs and kisses.Is this what you are writing to your boss, a colleague, or a customer?What if they asked you, “Who exactly are you hugging and kissing?”Unless you are emailing someone you are intimate with, avoid this completely.No matter how good your friendship is, this is no way to end your email. Some people are good to relate with in a casual sense.But if you misinterpret that to mean you can get this far with them, it might come across as disrespectful.Once the label is on you, there will no longer be any goodwill for a mutually-beneficial relationship.Ending With Your First InitialThis is a weird one. So weird that it’s actually confusing.Let’s say your first initial is the letter A. If this is the last thing written in your email, on its own line, what exactly is to be thought of it?The one reading your email may conclude that it’s a sign-off, but who is the sender?America? Antelope? Anaconda?There are many guesses and they can get really wild. You don’t want to leave it to people to guess your name. The results may not be funny. Furthermore, are you really expecting some relationship to build.For the sake of clarity, even if your name makes part of your email address, take the time to type it out properly. Don’t use your initials.Ending With Your NameIf you think that this is better than closing with your first initial, you are wrong.Yes, you have typed out your name in full, but couldn’t you type in something else to show some courtesy?Finishing your email with your name only is rather cold. It’s intimidating.Are you intending to make your recipient intimidated? Unless you are a mean boss. More of a dictator.In that case, be assured that you are losing a lot. The people you are working with are not giving you their best, regardless of what you think.Also, you could have many other opportunities to link with great people but your demeanor is pushing them away.You should learn how to relate with people and increase your chances of living a better life.Ending With No Sign-OffLike ending with your name, this is equally bad.This is not, and it cannot be understood as, a way of showing that you are in a hurry.This is simply rude.As if that is not enough, have you finished your message?It’s not clear because there is no closing in your email.The email closing is a part of the communication. It indicates that the message has come to an end.Otherwise it will not be known whether you sent the email unintentionally before finishing the writing.This could indicate that you were not keen when drafting the email.Something that could mean you don’t value the recipient.RECOMMENDED EMAIL CLOSINGS TO USEWith all the above email closings being problematic, here are some examples which you could comfortably use.These are applicable in various situations as mentioned.All the same, there is always the issue of considering the relationship between you and the email recipi ent.Some of the above sign-offs may not be the best but in a particular setting, you might be able to use them.Here are the recommended ways to sign your email.BestThis simple closing is used by many people. The main reason is that it is short enough to be typed quickly without losing meaning.As you would agree, writing Best is way better than Rgds in any setting. Unless it’s very informal.At the same time, when compared with Best Regards, the removal of the second word makes it cleaner. It also feels more open as opposed to tying it to some regards.Hope This HelpsThis is best for those instances when you are providing someone with some information. It may be an inquiry or some other form of request made to you.You will often have sourced for the information, i.e. if it’s not something you are currently aware of. Having put in efforts to give as much and relevant information as possible, you then close with this.Something else about this is that it allows the recipient to reques t for more information. Or to seek some clarification.Being open to more communication, especially when you are being helpful to others, builds stronger relationships. You get to be seen in good light.I Can’t Thank You EnoughThere will always be an opportunity to appreciate someone for something they have done. As mentioned about the sign-off Thanks, make sure you are thanking someone for something.This one in particular seems to be going deeper.You are essentially expressing your gratitude from your heart. And to recognize that your words aren’t enough, you show that your appreciation of them is really sincere.In view of that, this might be better preserved for situations where whatever has been done for you is quite big. Otherwise it might come off as exaggerated. With AppreciationThis closing is very appropriate for “small” favors. If you asked someone to do something that is not very far from their duties, you can thank them using this.Nevertheless, it can be used in mor e ways than that.For example, you might be in need of something that can only be provided by someone.When making the request, you can utilize this instead of the more common Looking forward to… family of sign-offs.Just note that this one is very formal.As such, it might be best for people you respect a lot, even though you may be at the same level or rank.Enjoy Your [Day of the Week]This is good for those emails which are not very serious.If you have developed a rapport with the other person, then this one is okay. It has a formal angle to it but isn’t too stiff to be reserved only for serious business.If the day of the week is Friday, this can be a very good way of ending your email. It automatically gets the person thinking of the weekend. It also creates a joyful atmosphere as it lightens them up.Have a Great DayFor the good wishes and an alternative way of going about it, this is a great one. It is also time-tested though isn’t a cliché.It is general in nature so it doesn ’t go overboard like the initials TGIF (Thanks God It’s Friday) would. It is short, straight to the point and does what it’s supposed to doâ€"signify the end of the email.SIGNING YOUR EMAILS CREATIVELYObviously, these are not the only options. Just as some people came up with common closings and created a standard, so can you also come up with something unique.In your creativity though, you have to be careful.The business world is largely reserved. It is also a serious one. Unless you are in the art industry, your creativity may not be appreciated by all.To get you started, here are some examples.Have a Fantastic MondayTo many, this might be an oxymoron since very few people expect Monday to be a fantastic day. But when you wish someone a fantastic Monday, they might actually experience it.First, this closing strikes them as odd but they soon catch the subtle humor in it. As such, it can easily get into their memory and they will remember it.Psychologically speaking, this will make the recipient’s mind want to experience a fantastic day. As such, It will seek to create the environment for the experience.Hope Your Week’s Off to a Good StartThis is another uncommon one.Actually, this is something that people say to one another in face-to-face and phone conversations. And it can be used in emails too.It indicates a genuine hope that things are going in the right direction.Saw That It’ll Be [Hot/Cold] in [Receiver’s City] â€" Stay [Cool/Warm]This is a sure way of personalizing your email. It shows that you are either thinking about the recipient or you are just well informed.But more than that, you wish them comfort.For more examples like these, check out this link and stir up your mind for better ways of ending your emails.CONCLUSIONThough no list can be complete, this can work as a guide.Apart from the recommended closings, exercise your creativity and sign your emails better.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Vision And The Act Of Looking - 1527 Words

The Ocular Spectatorship Vision and the act of looking is an important and recurring theme in many horror films. In early gothic literature, such as in Guy de Maupassant s Le Horla, the author presents vision as definitive and universal proof and stresses the importance of seeing as well as the act of showing gore. As a society, we are routinely told ‘seeing is believing in the wake of any paranormal or supernatural phenomena, placing weight on the tangible. However, as science and technology have progressed the faithfulness of visual representation is increasingly throw into question, which in turn has led to societal anxiety. A few years earlier, video footage of an event rarely had its validity questions, whereas now it is easy†¦show more content†¦Not only does it allow the viewer to ‘fill in the gaps and imagine what the paranormal entity may look like but the greatest factor that allows for the audiences anxiety is that they are constantly waiting for a revealing, which never mat erializes. Some argue that there is a greater fear than the fear of the unknown. As in Tony Perrello s argument, the viewer experiences more horror watching the victim be attacked by the monster than being confronted by the monster itself. It has been noted that the audience will mirror the reactions of the character on screen, screaming when they scream or shielding their eyes when the victim on screen does, regardless of the role of the character. As in Hitchcock s Strangers on a Train (1951), the director draws the audience into empathizing with the evil character in a race against time to commit murder or James Whale s portrayal of Frankenstein s monster in 1931. Laura Mulvey also speaks of the spectatorship of siding with the killer in Peeping Tom (1960). The audience simultaneously empathizes with the victims on the screen while occupying the killer s point of view. The Uncanny (Sigmund Freud) Sigmund Freud coined this term when trying to explain something strangely familiar yet unfamiliar. It speaks to seeing or experiencing new but also takes us back to our own psychological past or something within the material world. It is suddenly recognizing something that seems unfamiliar and in fact, has an identity

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay - 1200 Words

The objectives of this written task were to show how Willy’s family (Linda, Biff and Happy) viewed his death and his achievements. I also attempted to illustrate their individual relationships with Willy. I chose to use the format of a formal police report as it allows all three characters to express their views of Willy freely. Emotions were adjusted to the minimum since this is a police report, except for the case of Linda whom I consider would be too weak at that point to control herself. Their stories do not correspond exactly because some are trying to hide the facts. One difficulty I encountered was imitation of tones of all three characters. After reading the original play again, I managed to capture Linda’s admiration and Happy’s†¦show more content†¦Never did he genuinely care about any family members. His aims of life were to have fun and enjoy being a philanderer. His father was even a burden to him. (â€Å"(the mumbling) got so embarrassing that I sent him (Willy) back to Florida.†) Happy was indifferent towards his father. That is why in his report the tone was monotonous and emotionless. He also tried to exclude himself from the incident and avoid any responsibilities simply. Therefore he faked a story to say it was an accident to avoid further investigation. I regard the objectives accomplished successfully as these police reports adequately presented Linda, Biff and Happy’s way of viewing Willy and his suicide, their relationships with Willy and the way they deal with the future. I also succeeded in presenting Willy as a round character and described him in various points of view. NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT Deceased: William Loman Date of birth: 2 July 1889 Date of death: 13 May 1949 Address: No. 10, Bridingtle Road, Siddle Avenue, Brooklyn, New York Policeman number: NYC-05-776379 Date of report: 15 May 1949 The deceased William Loman was found dead at No. 13, Bridingtle Road inside a red Chevy crashed into his neighbour’s garage. The car was severely damaged. The autopsy prepared by Doctor Kingston showed that Loman died of excessive blood loss. The following are direct records of interviews with his family members: Name: Linda Loman Relationship withShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Arthur Millers Death Of Salesman 1548 Words   |  7 Pages Research paper on death of salesman Arthur Miller created stories that express the deepest meanings of struggle. Miller is the most prominent twentieth-century American playwrights. He based his works on his own life, and his observations of the American scene. Arthur Asher Miller was born 17 October 1915 in Manhattan, New York city. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents had a prosperous clothing company. Unfortunately when the stock market crashed, because his familyRead MoreArthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay904 Words   |  4 PagesArthur Millers Death of a Salesman Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman contains many themes of success and failure. They include the apartment buildings, the rubber hose, Willys brother Ben, the tape recorder, and the seeds for the garden. These symbols represent Willys attempts to be successful and his impending failure. In the start Willy and Linda moved to a home in Brooklyn, as it at the time seemedRead MoreMarxism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman1465 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Lowman sought to attain the American Dream, but his distorted view of Marxist control ultimately provoked his physical, material, and mental destruction. Lowman, a middle-class salesman, husband, and father of two shared the ideology of many American’s, an ideology that hard work, dedication, and likeability was attainable regardless of social class, or life circumstances. Yet, the multiple distortions Willy associated with this dream combinedRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Millers Death Of Salesman 1611 Words   |  7 PagesResearch paper on death of salesman Arthur Miller created stories that express the deepest meanings of struggle. Miller is the most prominent twentieth-century American playwrights. He based his works on his own life, and his observations of the American scene. Arthur Asher Miller was born 17 October 1915 in Manhattan, New York city. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents had a prosperous clothing company. Unfortunately when the stock market crashed, because his familyRead MoreThe Theme Of Death In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman1064 Words   |  5 PagesDeath is often seen as a scary and dreadful reality that everybody must face. Suicide is perceived as selfish and cold-hearted by many. What about somebody who commits suicide for the greater good? This harsh actuality is depicted in the play â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller. Miller overcame loss and devastation and created a heartfelt collection of literature that became iconic. â€Å"Death of a Salesman† unve ils the unfortunate reality that many households experience of chaos disrupting harmonyRead MoreSymbolism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman1783 Words   |  8 PagesEdison believes individuals cannot cheat the process of success to get to the top, they must work for it. In the play, Death of a Salesman, the author, Arthur Miller, uses the narrative techniques of imagery, motifs, and symbolism to show how success and social acceptance can be deceptive for Willy Loman and his family. Willy Loman is a troubled, self-defrauding travelling salesman. He genuinely believes in the American Dream of easy success and prosperous wealth, but he cannot achieve it. NeitherRead More Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay2019 Words   |  9 PagesArthur Millers Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman was written after the second World War while the American economy was booming. Society was becoming very materialistic, and the idea that anyone could â€Å"make it† in America was popular. These societal beliefs play a large part in Death of a Salesman, a play in which the main character, Willy Loman, spends a lifetime chasing after the American Dream. Willy was sold on the wrong dream. He was enamored with aRead MoreAnalysis of Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1581 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Arthur Millers play Death of a Salesman was a hit nearly from its debut, and its importance to American literature and theater has not diminished in the over half a century since its first performance in 1949. However, the specific areas of the play that have most intrigued critics have changed over time, as different historical, social, and literary concerns lead critics to come up with different interpretations. By analyzing three different critical responses to Death of a Salesman, it will beRead MoreSymbolism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman717 Words   |  3 PagesArthur Miller’s â€Å"Death of a Salesman† takes place in New York City in the late 1940’s. This play chronicles the life of Willy Loman, who often reflects upon his life and the decisions he has made. Miller characterizes Willy as guilt-stricke n by his decisions and driven for his children to achieve wealth and success through the use of symbolism, idioms, and similes. Miller uses symbolism to develop dimensions of Willy’s character. During one of his flashbacks, Willy remembers his affair with a womanRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1197 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman is wrought with symbolism from the opening scene. Many symbols illustrate the themes of success and failure. They include the apartment buildings, the rubber hose, Willy’s brother Ben, the tape recorder, and the seeds for the garden. These symbols represent Willy’s attempts to be successful and his impending failure. When Willy and Linda purchased their home in Brooklyn, it

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Toulmin Model Of Argumentation - 853 Words

Stephen Toulmin, one of the most significant philosophers of our generation. Mr. Toulmin produced widespread analyses from morals, science, and ethical reasoning and established a different method for examining arguments, which is recognized as the Toulmin model of argumentation. Stephen Toulmin model of argumentation was not realized in Great Britain, but when he got to America those same ideas manifested to become the Toulmin model we know today. In the earlier stages of The Toulmin model it was used in debate manuals. The Toulmin model analyzes the strength and weaknesses of any argumentation. The Toulmin model has advanced into the rhetorical interpretation of literary texts. This tool is used for developing, examining, and classifying arguments. There are six parts of the model of argument from the claim, data, warrant, backing, modality, and rebuttal. The claim is the position or claim, which is argued for the deduction of the argument. For example a claim would be cars over 20 years old shouldn’t be allowed on the road. The data are the foundation or basis for the claim, the support. An example of data would be older vehicles pollute the environment and are less safe than newer car models. The warrant is also mentioned as the bridge, it is a description of why or how the data supports the claim, the underlying assumptions that links the data to the claim. An example of warrant would be removing the older car models from the road, and would drastically improve theShow MoreRelatedKeynote Address : Argumentative Analysis1512 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Toulmin model of argumentation. This model consists primarily of a claim, which is the assertion the rhetor attempts to prove, supporting evidence for the claim, and a warrant connecting the evidence to the claim. Secondary elements of this model include backing supporting the warrant, the countering of potential rebuttals to the claim, and qualifiers, which modify the claim to make it less susceptible t o such opposition. By strategically implementing certain elements of the Toulmin model, ObamaRead MoreResearch On Students Learning1100 Words   |  5 Pagessignificance of the processes of critical reasoning and use of argumentation for the construction and justification of scientific knowledge through language (Driver, Newton, Osborne, 1998; Driver, Asoko, Leach, Mortimer, Scott, 1994). This study focused on design and evolution of alternative instructional strategies and tools that foster the use of argumentation in physics education. As an instructional strategy, argumentation promotes critical thinking, epistemological developmentRead MoreWhen Is The Last Time You Fought With Someone For Hours1552 Words   |  7 Pagesmay have begged your teacher to let you hand in an assignment late, or tried to convince your parents to extend your curfew. You may have been disappointed when you failed to succeed in this, most likely because the lack of proper argumentation technique. Argumentation takes place all around the world in messages designed to influence other beliefs and behaviors. A rational argument adapts to the audience in an ethical manner, fulfills the requirements of presumption and burden of proof and effectivelyRead MoreThe Toulmin Model Of Argument 11533 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ The Toulmin Model of Argument (adapted from: http://schoolnet.org.za/twt/09/M9_argumentation.pdf) In his work on logic and argument, The Uses of Argument, Stephen Toulmin indicates three major, necessary parts of an argument, along with three additional, optional parts. The three major parts are the claim, the support, and the warrants. Claim: This is the disputable assertion for which a speaker argues. The claim may be directly stated or the claim may be implied. You can find the claim by askingRead MoreArgument Of An Open Source Visualisation Tool8116 Words   |  33 PagesArgument Visualisation tools 1. Abstract 2. Introduction Argumentation is the area that studies the relation between a claim and any statement that supports or opposes this claim. Argument visualisation is the way to present the arguments, which make it easy way to analysis and evaluate. There are many tools help to visualise arguments used different type of visualisation, such as, network, tree, and table. Argument graph is import to summarize the complex argument on documents, which makeRead MorePoor Study Habits4822 Words   |  20 Pagesissue. Paul Elder (2006) provide a checklist for reasoning, which primarily highlights giving â€Å"inferences by which we draw conclusions and give meaning to data† (p.7). They also emphasize that reasoning â€Å"has implications and consequences† (ibid.). Toulmin (2000) moreover underscores the requirements of reasoning which involve â€Å"examination of the claim or position in any given issue, and analysis of the evidence and justifications offered to support such claim, along with an analysis of the refutationsRead MoreInformation Security15951 Words   |  64 Pagesconstructs, and/or models (see additional discussions about this under the â€Å"Apply the Literature† below). As such, a literature review for each stream of theory or construct may be relevant. In such cases, one may find numerous studies on a specific theo ry, model, or framework. Thus, deciding which piece of literature should be included as part of the literature review can be a daunting task for novice researchers. One common example is the extensive work done on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by DavisRead MoreAristotles Rhetoric Theory2285 Words   |  10 PagesRhetoric Rhetorical Theory centered on the 4th Century BC writings of Aristotle. Aristotle’s Rhetoric was the seminal work which was later revised by others including Kenneth Burke (dramatism) and Toulmin (argument model). George A. Kennedy (2004) wrote the most respected, authoritative and explanatory translation of Aristotle’s Rhetoric but an older translation by W. Rhys Roberts (1954) is available online for free. Aristotle’s mentor, Plato (385 BC), reacted to theRead MoreCommunication And Conflict Resolution Within Communications1751 Words   |  8 Pagesaltogether. While researching just how effective conflict resolution could be if applied correctly the ADR model was extremely helpful when addressing the perks that assists’ conflict resolution, it called Alternative Dispute Resolution and or ADR. The models of which ADR embraces are essential factors when attempting to combat disruptive communication altercations. ADR practices several models including policy dialoging, deliberative discourses, and negotiation compromising tactics. These are allRead MoreConflict Resolution Toolkit4549 Words   |  19 Pagesadministrative agencies. Resolving conflict is a management strategy where businesses should learn to study and practice conflict management skills to keep up a positive work environment (Reina, 2010). Hitchcock Verheij (2006) stated that the Toulmin Model of Argumentation declares that most of the arguments involve the following six elements: 1. Claim 2. Grounds 3. Warrant: A warrant connects the information with the grounds in response to the claim, which legitimize the claim by depicting the grounds

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Six-day War and Israeli Military Leaders free essay sample

Israel’s success in dealing with the treats it came across was due to many factors. These included Israel’s military tactics; which is one of the most important ones. Israeli determination for an independent state, the disunity between the Arab people, territory and the role of the US all played a part in the triumph of Israeli survival in the years 1948 – 73. Israeli military tactics were a long-term factor of why Israel was so extraordinary at dealing with everything that was thrown at them. Israel’s troops were highly motivated and better trained than any Middle Eastern country as the Israelis fought beside Britain in WWII. Additionally Israeli military leaders; like Moshe Dayan were very skilled and the tactics that were used outsmarted the other rivalling nations. Moshe Dayan, who was called ‘a hero-tactician’ and was know for being an Israeli military leader and politician, was able to provoke Egypt into a war he knew they were not prepared for. He was able to come up with cunning schemes that outsmarted the Arabs. The 6-day war is also one of many Israeli victories as the strategies used were able to destroy Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian air force in just the first four hours of the Israeli take off on the 5th of June 1967. This consequently led to the success of Israel dealing with threats due to their outstanding military tactics. The role of the US was also a crucial reason why Israel survived. The USSR and US were greatly involved with the Yom Kippur War as the USSR sent arms to Egypt and Syria and the US organised a massive airlift to Israel, which contributed to the military power they already had. Another reason why the US supported the Israelis was because they had similar political aims. They were against the spread of communism and the US was also resistant to the expansion of the Soviet Union. After the Suez crisis, the United States became the western superpower in the Middle East. This was because after the Cold War, only the United States appeared to fulfill the criteria of being considered a world superpower. The Eisenhower Doctrine of 1957 declared that the United States would distribute economic and military aid and, if necessary, use military force to stop the spread of communism in the Middle East. Eisenhower also used a variety of political and ecological levers to compel France, Britain and Israel to desist from war. Furthermore Israel obtained guarantees from the US that that the international waterways would remain open to Israeli shipping further bettering the survival and growth of their economy. Territory was also a factor in how Israel had survived in dealing with threats to its survival. Israel had made large territorial gains after the 6-day war. They were able to capture the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and the Sinai up to the Suez Canal, which really increased their total land mass. They were also able to place buffer zones between their neighbors to give a little bit more peace and control to Israel. Lebanon even rejected calls by other Arab governments to participate in the 6-day war. Militarily weak in the south, Lebanon could not afford conflict with Israel. The loss of additional territory transformed the Palestinians decline in refugee camps hoping to return home. The additional flood of refugees turned Palestinian camps throughout the Middle East into centers of guerilla activity, which further let to the spectacular Israeli victory as many Israeli’s wanted to alter their lives so the only solution they thought of was by force. Arab-Israeli negotiations took place soon after and the concept of ‘land for peace’ meant that the Israelis would have to give up the land they won in the 1967 war and in return, gain peace deals. This included the recognition of Israeli borders and it’s right to security. Which also played a part in Israel’s survival. Furthermore Israeli determination of independence was yet another factor why Israel successfully dealt with its threats. The Law of return gave any Jew in the world the right to become a citizen of Israel. The UN passed a solution calling for the partition of Palestine. It recognized the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as the partition plan allowed for the establishment of an Arab state. It let the Palestinians to be considered as refugees and war victims as some of the Palestinian people had just been affected by the holocaust. This then lead to world opinion of the survivors to be very sympathetic which assisted them as soon after they were granted the right to secure themselves and return to their homeland and gain independence. Besides Israeli determination of Independence, the lack of Arab unity also made an appearance into how Israel survived so successfully. The lack of Arab co-ordination in the 6-day war really affected Israel, as they were able to us the Napoleonic Strategy. This meant they could attack each Syria, Egypt and Jordan one at a time. This gave the Israeli military enough time and effort to deal with the Arab armies who opposed them separately instead of fighting three against one. Egypt also mislead the Jordanians by claiming 70% of all Israeli air force had been destroyed when in fact Israeli air superiority was one of the most important factors in their victory. In conclusion there was many reasons why Israel was so successful in dealing with threats to its survival in the years 1948-73. This included extraordinary Israeli military tactics, the role of the US, Territory, Israeli determination of independence and the severe lack of Arab unity. All these factors led to the survival of Israel in the years 1948-73.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

A Study of Aristotelian tragedy in Oedipus Essay Example

A Study of Aristotelian tragedy in Oedipus Essay The great Greek myth of Oedipus continues to be integral to the Western literary canon even today. Starting from 5th century B.C., various ancient writers of the Hellenistic era made references to Oedipus in their works. The best known version of the Oedipus myth comes from Sophocles’ trilogy of Theban plays: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. Reading the biography of Oedipus through Aristotle’s conception of tragedy makes for an interesting scholarly exercise. One of Aristotle’s most influential works concerning literary theory is his Poetics. In it he articulates with eloquence and clarity various facets of good theatre. Tragedy is acknowledged as a powerful genre of drama. Aristotle goes on to set out various rules of thumb for making aesthetically and emotionally satisfying tragedies. His concise definition of tragedy is that it is â€Å"an imitation of an action that is serious †¦ with incidents arousing pity and fear, in order to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions.† (Botton 20) He was in opposition to Plato’s critical and disparaging view of theater. Plato had earlier set the debate rolling in The Republic, stating that poets and other artists should be banned from civil society because they induced excessive emotional responses in audiences which countered calm reasoning. Aristotle rebutted this assertion in Poetics, stating that â€Å"although watching tragedies raised emotions, it also purged them. An audience would come away from Oedipus humbled, keen to be better and wiser.† (Botton 20) In many ways, Oedipus satisfies the Aristotelian conception of the tragic hero. For example, the tragic hero is someone who feels responsible for his actions and is conscious of ethical merits and demerits associated with them. In Sophocles’ Oedipus, we see that the author does not contemplate either the acknowledgement of guilt or the blinding. Instead, â€Å"awareness and blinding will be present in Aeschylus because his Oedipus must not see both ‘what he suffered and the bad he did’. According to the author, the individual responsibility celebrated by tragedy is the expression of a people who do not tell history any more, but are aware of making it: a process that Plato could not-or did not want to-recognize, claiming to read tragedy like the continuation of old myths and of old stories, rather than like a new way to tell them again, to involve oneself and to involve us with them in a different way.† (Goretti 1305) We will write a custom essay sample on A Study of Aristotelian tragedy in Oedipus specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Study of Aristotelian tragedy in Oedipus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Study of Aristotelian tragedy in Oedipus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer What we also witness in Oedipus is a dimension of the tragic hero engaged in praxis. In Aristotle’s conception of tragedy there is an underlying conflict between ‘absolute necessity’ and ‘freedom’. This is amply evident in crucial life events of Oedipus, who, as the story progresses, is compelled to implement his own demise. For Aristotle, tragedy allows Greeks â€Å"to bear the unbearable contradiction that for thought would remain incomprehensible: ‘the attestation, even in the loss of freedom, of this same freedom’†. (Goretti 1306)Though we do not find direct mention of concepts such as ‘will’ and ‘responsibility’ in the Poetics, â€Å"when Aristotle must indicate the ones who act the tragic action, for him ‘hoi prattonese’ is not sufficient, but he adds ‘kai drontes’. The problem of freedom involves the problem of evil: the evil one does, the evil one suffers or the evil t hat is anyway committed.† (Goretti 1306) In the case of Oedipus, he is clearly aware of how evil forces are acting upon his life – some of which is caused by his own agency. To the coryphaeus who questions him on what a horrible action he has committed and on which god has induced him, Oedipus answers, â€Å"’It was Apollo’, and then, a little afterwards, ‘It was me, miserable, who did it’.† (Jones 45) According to Aristotle, a sense of foreboding and inevitability makes for effective tragedy. Throughout the story, there are numerous crucial decisions taken by Oedipus, which led up to his inevitable demise. Oedipus is not himself aware of the implications of his decisions, but the audience is better informed. The audience experiences ‘pathos’ as Oedipus unwittingly scripts his own fatality. As the Chorus reminds him on occasion, he alone can help. In other words, â€Å"the cause of the trouble is he himself; the chances he has had in his life are precisely the source of the plague. He righteously refuses to avoid discovering his guilt, and when Tiresias finally reveals the truth, Oedipus removes himself, banished, blinded and bereaved, and the curse on Thebes is lifted.† (Diski 49) Seen in this light, Oedipus is not only the most tragic of ancient tragedies, but also a model of Aristotelian tragedy. Oedipus’ ignorance and good intentions are no jus tification for escaping punishment for his wrongdoings, however inadvertent they may have been. Aristotle thought that tragedy should base itself on matters of import in order to be effective. In other words, dramatists should avoid melodrama and trivialization of tragedy for the play to be of substance. Though the drama tries to show the human condition in a realistic fashion, the operative moral plain should carry a timeless quality that equates it to the highest social plain. In Oedipus we find events such as the dire plague in Thebes, the suicide of Jacosta and the self-mutilation of the protagonist. All these events are consistent with Aristotle’s prescriptions for tragedy in its highest form. (Segal 39) Aristotle was the earliest philosopher to describe the aesthetics of tragedy in great detail. In his Poetics, he first makes a distinction between tragedy and other genres such as comedy and epic poetry. A meritorious tragedy is one that â€Å"constitutes an object lesson in the interplay of fate and character.† (Hoffman 17) This usually means the protagonist with a heroic stature (almost always men during Aristotle’s time) â€Å"is led to catastrophe through a tragic flaw in his otherwise admirable behaviour. The psychological interest of the audience in watching the playing out of these sad tales (eg Oedipus Rex, Antigone) is the â€Å"purging† of their emotions through the pity and terror they feel in experiencing the denouement of the tragedy.† (Hoffman 17) In this sense, Oedipus satisfies many of Aristotelian conditions for tragedy. It can be placed in the class of great tragedies that includes Shakespeare’s Othello, Euripides’s Iphigen ia in Aulis and Schiller’s Two Queens in the Hive.

Sunday, March 8, 2020

foster children essays

foster children essays When foster care parents become discouraged with raising a foster care child it is frequently due to behavioral problems. An adolescent who has experienced a history of maltreatment is most likely to have such difficult behavior problems that lead to the disruption of placement. Many parents have a difficult time dealing with behavioral problems from a teen who has grown up in a healthy, loving environment, much less a teenager who is likely to have built up anger due to a past of neglect, physical abuse, or even sexual abuse. Age has been found to be the number one factor in predicting foster or adoption disruption; the older the child, the greater the risk of disruption (Brodzinsky et al. 1998). A study by Kadushin and Martin (1998) found that the disruption rate of older child placements was more than five times greater than the disruption rate for families who adopted infants. Families looking to adopt or take in a foster care child tend to want infants and younger children , which puts older children in the special needs category since they are much harder to place in to a home. Families who are willing to take in older foster care children will have many obstacles and stressors to overcome when trying to establish a healthy relationship and environment with the foster care child. Emotional and behavior problems are reported in a large majority of cases of foster care adolescents (Barth and Barry 1998), which make for a difficult transition into a new family setting. Behaviors such as aggression, antisocial acts (e.g., stealing, vandalizing, injuring others), sexual acting out, and suicidality are especially predictive of placement instability (Brodzinsky et al., 1998). Pinderhughes (1996) offers a model that predicts stages families go through who adopt an older child. Her stages have been found to be valuable to the adaptive family since they normalize the challenges and frequent upheavals th...

Friday, February 21, 2020

Derrida Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Derrida - Essay Example Further, Derrida asserts that â€Å"all of these aspects are linked with presence and more valued or treasured aspect than the other, which is connected with absence† (Derrida 33). Deconstruction theory presents the metaphysics of presence by locating its ideal binary oppositions and illustrating the speciousness of their order by refuting the potentiality of understanding the superior or powerful element of the hierarchy or order in the absence of its inferior or less powerful counterpart. Refuting an inner or intrinsic and absolute implication or meaning to one of the aspects of the order or hierarchy ‘diffarence’ is unraveled. In this case, Derrida asserts that difference refers to the perceptual sequence of contacts between existence or presence and absence. In this sense, an idea is constructed, understood, and located in terms of what it is not and self-efficient implication is never attained. It is important to note that Western language and thought have al ways been at the center of in determining absolute truth. This presents hurdles or limits on what humans can think or believe. It offers a platform for existence or being and for knowing (how people think). Deconstruction theory failed to identify if God plays a role in determining the absolute truth, which neglects the concepts of uncertainties. Instead, Derrida states that any concept of a fixed center was a structure or configuration of authority imposed on people by their past or by societal institutions (Silverman 44-45). Derrida’s deconstruction theory aimed to call for re-evaluation and re-assessment of all western ideas and values founded on the Kantian critique of human though or reason. Deconstruction principles were built on elemental oppositions, which all dialogue has to highlight if it aims to make reasonable arguments and sound decisions. This is because identity is perceived as constructs, which are in a position to generate meaning via the interplay of differ ence within a scheme of different signs (Derrida 111). Critique of post structuralism movement Post modernist philosophers such as Nietzsche believed that the earth is full of disorder or confusion and it has no objective or aim. Post structuralism refutes the concept of a literary text containing a solitary purpose or meaning or a single being or existence. Instead, post structuralism advocates that every person or reader establish a new and personal meaning, purpose, and being/existence for any given text. Post structuralism has been criticized for the failure to address questions from a realist perception. Post structuralism does little to explain the self-reflective celebration, which gives an individual the freedom to decide and choose any or all subject positions. Post structuralism dismisses the ability of people to learn and understand the world as an entirety on the basis that it is a contemptible effort to construct or constitute grand narratives (Besley 65-69). Derridian ideas reject these arguments and assert that people should be given opportunity to reason or think for themselves. Foucault and his views as a post structuralist and what he says about language or feminism Foucault based his arguments about post structuralism

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

How might theories of economic power prove limited when exploring the Assignment

How might theories of economic power prove limited when exploring the relations between media forms and claims of cultural imperialism - Assignment Example Within the definition of imperialism, a deliberate act is visualized in which one country seeks to extend its power over one other or many other countries. The Roman Empire, the British Empire, and the German Third Reich are perhaps classic examples of imperial power, and it is from such systems that most models of economic power in which one nation asserts control over another have been built. But within the 21st Century world can a deliberate kind of cultural imperialism be identified? Within what might be termed as the hold-overs from the Twentieth Century system of Imperialism there clearly are deliberate attempts at cultural control through the power of the mass media. One example is the â€Å"Voice of America†. Started during the Cold War as an attempt to counter what was perceived as a propaganda machine being created by the USSR, the Voice of America was transmitted into eastern Europe, Cuba and whatever countries were deemed as needing the service. Financed and suppor ted by the US government, VOA claims to be â€Å"a trusted source of news and information† on its internet homepage. The move from pure radio transmissions to the internet shows how while the media may change, its basic nature does not. VOA seeks to present the American view of the world to the populations of countries that might not necessarily hear it otherwise. The move to the internet, with written news available in more than sixty languages, represents the growth of VOA into what is termed â€Å"the information age†.... Like road maps, models or theories of economic phenomena come in various degrees of detail - but all models describing the same set of phenomena are consistent with each other. No map or theory will be perfectly complete in every detail... So ask not, "Is the theory accurate" but rather "Is the theory good enough for our purposes" 2 So, to put it succinctly, are any theories of economic power "good enough" for the purposes of explaining the relationship between media forms and cultural imperialism. What degree of detail is needed in an economic map of media/cultural imperialism Can such complex and ambiguous a relationship be explained by the simplified model of reality that a theory implies This paper will analyze these questions in two parts. First, it will explore what the relationship between 'media forms" and 'cultural imperialism' is, and whether the latter actually exists. Second, an attempt will be made to place this relationship within present theories of economic power. Some initial definitions are in order. Media is defined as "a means of mass communication . . . the communications industry or profession."3 Culture is defined as "the behavior patterns, arts beliefs, institutions, and all other products or human thought at work; especially as expressed in a particular community of period."4 Imperialism is "the policy of extending a nation's authority by economic and political means over other nations."5 'Media' is then, at least superficially, quite easy to define. In the modern age media includes books, newspapers, films, TV programs and, perhaps, the Internet. Yet professional sports6 and education7When looking at the definitions of "culture" and "imperialism ", problems start. Within the definition of imperialism a deliberate act

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

IVR Cloud Migration Project

IVR Cloud Migration Project INTRODUCTION The primary objective of the IVR Cloud Migration Project is to Lift and Shift their working Applications into the AWS Cloud Environment. The Lift and Shift of the IVR Applications are recommended to have automation the least amount of human interaction to build and deploy onto AWS Cloud. This document will give a step-by-step process to carry out the task of automating the creation and maintenance of the applications. REQUIREMENTS The IVR Applications require the following resources to replicate and automate the on-premise environment onto AWS Cloud. In the Automation Process, the requirement is to have minimal human interaction and have an automation pipeline from creating a build for the application to creating, deploying and configuring until a running application instance is setup. The tools that are required are as follows: AWS EC2 Instances WebSphere Liberty Profile Jenkins Pipeline CyberArk Authentication Ansible Tower AWS CloudFormation AWS Elastic Load Balancers AWS S3 Bucket ELASTIC COMPUTE CLOUD (EC2) Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a virtual computing environment which provides users the platform to create applications and allowing them to scale their applications by providing Infrastructure as a Service. Key Concepts associated with an EC2 are Virtual computing environments are known as instances. Preconfigured templates for your instances, known as Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), that package the bits you need for your server (including the operating system and additional software). Various configurations of CPU, memory, storage, and networking capacity for your instances, known as instance types. Secure login information for your instances using key pairs (AWS stores the public key, and you store the private key in a secure place). Storage volumes for temporary data thats deleted when you stop or terminate your instance, known as instance store volumes. Persistent storage volumes for your data using Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS), known as Amazon EBS volumes. Multiple physical locations for your resources, such as instances and Amazon EBS volumes, known as regions and Availability Zones. A firewall that enables you to specify the protocols, ports, and source IP ranges that can reach your instances using security groups. Static IPv4 addresses for dynamic cloud computing, known as Elastic IP addresses. Metadata, known as tags, that you can create and assign to your Amazon EC2 resources. Virtual networks you can create that are logically isolated from the rest of the AWS Cloud, and that you can optionally connect to your own network, known as Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs). WEBSPHERE LIBERTY PROFILE IBM WebSphere Application Server V8.5 Liberty Profile is a composable, dynamic application server environment that supports development and testing of web applications. The Liberty profile is a simplified, lightweight development and application runtime environment that has the following characteristics: Simple to configure. Configuration is read from an XML file with text-editor friendly syntax. Dynamic and flexible. The run time loads only what your application needs and recomposes the run time in response to configuration changes. Fast. The server starts in under 5 seconds with a basic web application. Extensible. The Liberty profile provides support for user and product extensions, which can use System Programming Interfaces (SPIs) to extend the run time. JENKINS Jenkins is a self-contained, open source automation server which can be used to automate all sorts of tasks such as building, testing, and deploying software. Jenkins can be installed through native system packages, Docker, or even run standalone by any machine with the Java Runtime Environment installed. Jenkins Pipeline is a suite of plugins which supports implementing and integrating continuous delivery pipelines into Jenkins. Pipeline provides an extensible set of tools for modeling simple-to-complex delivery pipelines as code. A Jenkinsfile which is a text file that contains the definition of a Jenkins Pipeline is checked into source control. This is the foundation of Pipeline-As-Code; treating the continuous delivery pipeline a part of the application to be version and reviewed like any other code. REQUIREMENTS The Requirements for Jenkins Server includes the following: The size requirement for a Jenkins instance is that there is no one size fits all answer the exact specifications of the hardware that you will need will depend heavily on your organizations needs. Your Jenkins master runs on Java and requires to have the OpenJDK installed on the Instance with the JAVA_HOME path Set. Jenkins runs on a local webserver like Tomcat and requires it to be configured. RAM allotted for it can range from 200 MB for a small installation to 70+ GB for a single and massive Jenkins master. However, you should be able to estimate the RAM required based on your project build needs. Each build node connection will take 2-3 threads, which equals about 2 MB or more of memory. You will also need to factor in CPU overhead for Jenkins if there are a lot of users who will be accessing the Jenkins user interface. The more automated the environment configuration is, the easier it is to replicate a configuration onto a new agent machine. Tools for configuration management or a pre-baked image can be excellent solutions to this end. Containers and virtualization are also popular tools for creating generic agent environments. JENKINS FILE STRUCTURE Jenkins File Structure is a model to automate the non-human part of the whole software development process, with now common things like continuous integration, but by further empowering teams to implement the technical part of a Continuous Delivery. Directory Description . jenkins The default Jenkins home directory. Fingerprints This directory is used by Jenkins to keep track of artifact fingerprints. We look at how to track artifacts later in the book. jobs This directory contains configuration details about the build jobs that Jenkins manages, as well as the artifacts and data resulting from these builds. plugins This directory contains any plugins that you have installed. Plugins allow you to extend Jenkins by adding extra feature. Note Except the Jenkins core plugins (subversion, cvs, ssh-slaves, maven, and scid-ad), no plugins are stored with Jenkins executable, or expanded web application directory. updates This is an internal directory used by Jenkins to store information about available plugin updates. userContent You can use this directory to place your own custom content onto your Jenkins server. You can access files in this directory at http://myserver/userContent (stand-alone). users If you are using the native Jenkins user database, user accounts will be stored in this directory. war This directory contains the expanded web application. When you start Jenkins as a stand-alone application, it will extract the web application into this directory. JENKINS SETUP Jenkins Setup is carried out on a managing server which has access to all your remote servers or nodes. The Process can be demonstrated with a few simple steps. Jenkins has native integrations with different Operating Systems. These are the Operating Systems that support Jenkins are: Solaris 10 Ubuntu Red Hat Distributions Windows UNIX Daemon Docker JENKINS CONFIGURATION The Configuration file for Jenkins is used to make certain changes to the default configuration. The Priority configuration changes are searched by Jenkins in the following order: Jenkins will be launched as a daemon on startup. See /etc/init.d/jenkins for more details. The jenkins user is created to run this service. If you change this to a different user via the config file, you must change the owner of /var/log/jenkins, /var/lib/jenkins, and /var/cache/jenkins. Log file will be placed in /var/log/jenkins/jenkins.log. Check this file if you are troubleshooting Jenkins. /etc/sysconfig/jenkins will capture configuration parameters for the launch. By default, Jenkins listen on port 8080. Access this port with your browser to start configuration.ÂÂ   Note that the built-in firewall may have to be opened to access this port from other computers. A Jenkins RPM repository is added in /etc/yum.repos.d/jenkins.repo CREATE A JENKINS PIPELINE The requirement for creating a pipeline is to have a repository with the Jenkins file which holds the declaration of the pipeline. STEP 1: Select New Item from the Jenkins Dashboard. New Item on the Jenkins home page src=https://aaimagestore.s3.amazonaws.com/july2017/0020514.008.png> STEP 2: Enter a Name for the Pipeline and Select Pipeline from the list of options. Click OK. STEP 3: Toggle Tabs to Customize the Pipeline to Click Apply. STEP 4: To Build the Job, Click Build Now on the Dashboard to run the Pipeline. ANSIBLE Ansible Tower is the Automation tool used in this project and is a simple tool to manage multiple nodes. Ansible is recommended to automate the deployment and configuration management of the System and its Applications. Ansible Automation can be setup on any machine as it does not require a daemon or database. It will begin with the assigned user to SSH into a host file. This allows the user to run the Ansible script to execute the roles which runs various tasks defined. NOTE: In scope of the IVR applications the ansible script executes multiple roles for the creation of EC2 Instances and the installation of WebSphere Applications. Each of these roles have their very own YAML script to create and populate the instance. REQUIREMENTS The Requirements for Ansible Server includes the following: Ansible Tower Setup requires to be on a Linux Instance (CentOS or RHEL), Linux setup for some basic services including: Git, Python, OpenSSL. Some Additional Requirement: Jinja2: A modern, fast and easy to use stand-alone template engine for Python. PyYAML: A YAML parser and emitter for the Python programming language. Paramiko: A native Python SSHv2 channel library. Httplib2: A comprehensive HTTP client library. SSHPass: A non-interactive SSH password authentication. ANSIBLE FILE STRUCTURE Ansible Playbook is a model of configuration or a process which contains number of plays. Each play is used to map a group of hosts to some well-defined roles which can be represented by ansible call tasks. Master Playbook The Master Playbook file contains the information of the rest of the Playbook. The Master Playbook for the project has been given as Site.yml. This YAML script is used to define the roles to execute. NOTE: The roles in the Master Playbook are invoked to perform their respective tasks. Path = /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr SITE.YML Inventory Ansible contains information about the hosts and groups of hosts to be managed in the hosts file. This is also called an inventory file. Path = /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr/inventory Group Variables and Host Variables Similar to the hosts inventory file, you can also include hosts and groups of hosts configuration variables in a separate configuration folder like group_vars and hosts_vars. These can include configuration parameters, whether on the application or operating system level, which may not be valid for all groups or hosts. This is where having multiple files can be useful: inside group_vars or hosts_vars, you can create a group or host in more than one way, allowing you to define specific configuration parameters. Roles Roles in Ansible build on the idea of include files and combine them to form clean, reusable abstractions they allow you to focus more on the big picture and only define the details when needed. To correctly use roles with Ansible, you need to create a roles directory in your working Ansible directory, and then any necessary sub-directories. The Following displays the Playbook Structure for Ansible. ANSIBLE SETUP Ansible Setup is carried out on a managing server which has access to all your remote servers or nodes. The Process can be demonstrated with a few simple steps. Step I. Login as the Root User on the Instance where Ansible needs to be installed. Use the sudo apt-get install ansible -y command to install the package onto an Ubuntu/Debian System. Use the sudo yum install ansible -y command to install the package onto a CentOS/RHEL/Fedora System. Step II. The Ansible system can connect to any remote server using SSH by authenticating the request. NOTE: Ansible can use ssh-keygen to create a RSA encrypted key and can copy it to the remote server to connect using SSH without authentication. Step III. Create an Inventory file which is used to work against multiple systems across the infrastructure at the same time. This is executed by taking portions of the systems linked in the Inventory file. The Default path for the Inventory file is etc/ansible/hosts. NOTE This path can be changed by using -i which is a recommended option depending on the project requirement. There can be more than one inventory files which can be executed at the same time. The inventory file holds the group names which defines the group of servers that are maintained together. The inventory file needs to be populated with the host IP Addresses that are to be accessed. The inventory file is as follows: Path = /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr/inventory hosts The IVR in the brackets indicates group names. Group names are used to classify systems and determining which systems you are going to control at what times and for what reason. The group name can be used to interact with all the hosts alongside different modules (-m) defined in ansible. Example: ansible -m ping IVR ANSIBLE CONFIGURATION The Configuration file for Ansible is used to make certain changes to the default configuration. The Priority configuration changes are searched by ansible in the following order: Path= /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr/etc/ansible.cfg is the path setup for ansible configuration changes. CLOUD FORMATION AWS CloudFormation is a service that helps you model and set up your Amazon Web Services resources so that you can spend less time managing those resources and more time focusing on your applications that run-in AWS. You create a template that describes all the AWS resources that you want (like Amazon EC2 instances or Amazon RDS DB instances), and AWS CloudFormation takes care of provisioning and configuring those resources for you. You dont need to individually create and configure AWS resources and figure out whats dependent on what; AWS CloudFormation handles all of that. CloudFormation Template CloudFormation templates are created for the service or application architectures you want and have AWS CloudFormation use those templates for quick and reliable provisioning of the services or applications (called stacks). You can also easily update or replicate the stacks as needed. Example Template STEPS TO LAUNCH A CLOUD FORMATION STACK Sign in to AWS Management Console and open the Cloud Formation console at http://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/ From the navigation bar select the region for the instance Click on the Create a New Stack. Choose an Option from a Sample Template, Template to S3 and S3 Template URL Using a template to build an EC2 Instance Enter a Stack Name and Provide the Key Pair to SSH into the Instance. a A Add Tags to the Instance, this also help organize your instance to group with application specific, team specific instances. Review and Create Stack. CloudFormation Stack starts building the stack using the template. In Scope of this Project, IVR Application Instances are build using a Cloud Formation Template and will be triggered using Ansible Role. Simple Storage Service (S3) Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) A load balancer serves as a single point of contact for clients, which increases the availability of your application. You can add and remove instances from your load balancer as your needs change, without disrupting the overall flow of requests to your application. Elastic Load Balancing scales your load balancer as traffic to your application changes over time, and can scale to the clear majority of workloads automatically. You can configure health checks, which are used to monitor the health of the registered instances so that the load balancer can send requests only to the healthy instances. You can also offload the work of encryption and decryption to your load balancer so that your instances can focus on their main work. ÂÂ  Setting Up an Elastic Load Balancer Step 1: Select a Load Balancer Type Elastic Load Balancing supports two types of load balancers: Application Load Balancers and Classic Load Balancers. To create an Elastic Load Balancer, Open the Amazon EC2 console and choose Load Balancers on the navigation pane. Step 2: Configure Your Load Balancer and Listener On the Configure Load Balancer page, complete the following procedure. To configure your load balancer and listener 1. For Name, type a name for your load balancer. The name of your Application Load Balancer must be unique within your set of Application Load Balancers for the region, can have a maximum of 32 characters, can contain only alphanumeric characters and hyphens, and must not begin or end with a hyphen. 2. For Scheme, keep the default value, internet-facing. 3. For IP address type, select ipv4 if your instances support IPv4 addresses or dual stack if they support IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. 4. For Listeners, keep the default, which is a listener that accepts HTTP traffic on port 80. 5. For Availability Zones, select the VPC that you used for your EC2 instances. For each of the two Availability Zones that contain your EC2 instances, select the Availability Zone and then select the public subnet for that Availability Zone. 6. Choose Next: Configure Security Settings. Step 3: Configure a Security Group for Your Load Balancer The security group for your load balancer must allow it to communicate with registered targets on both the listener port and the health check port. The console can create security groups for your load balancer on your behalf, with rules that specify the correct protocols and ports. Note If you prefer, you can create and select your own security group instead. For more information, see Recommended Rules in the Application Load Balancer Guide. On the Configure Security Groups page, complete the following procedure to have Elastic Load Balancing create a security group for your load balancer on your behalf. Step 4: Configure Your Target Group To configure a security group for your load balancer 1. Choose Create a new security group. 2. Type a name and description for the security group, or keep the default name and description. This new security group contains a rule that allows traffic to the load balancer listener port that you selected on the Configure Load Balancer page. 3. Choose Next: Configure Routing. Step 4: Configure Your Target Group Create a target group, which is used in request routing. The default rule for your listener routes requests to the to registered targets in this target group. The load balancer checks the health of targets in this target group using the health check settings defined for the target group. On the Configure Routing page, complete the following procedure. To configure your target group 1. For Target group, keep the default, New target group. 2. For Name, type a name for the new target group. 3. Keep Protocol as HTTP and Port as 80. 4. For Health checks, keep the default protocol and ping path. 5. Choose Next: Register Targets. Step 5: Register Targets with Your Target Group On the Register Targets page, complete the following procedure. To register targets with the target group 1. For Instances, select one or more instances. 2. Keep the default port, 80, and choose Add to registered. 3. If you need to remove an instance that you selected, for Registered instances, select the instance and then choose Remove. 4. When you have finished selecting instances, choose Next: Review. Step 6: Create and Test Your Load Balancer Before creating the load balancer, review the settings that you selected. After creating the load balancer, verify that its sending traffic to your EC2 instances. To create and test your load balancer 1. On the Review page, choose Create. 2. After you are notified that your load balancer was created successfully, choose Close. 3. On the navigation pane, under LOAD BALANCING, choose Target Groups. 4. Select the newly created target group. 5. On the Targets tab, verify that your instances are ready. If the status of an instance is initial, its probably because the instance is still in the process of being registered, or it has not passed the Auto Scaling AUTOMATION OVERVIEW There are 2 Parts of the Automation Process which is used To Create a Custom AMI for all IVR Applications To Create Instances for Each Application using the Custom AMI. STEPS TO CREATE THE CUSTOM AMI The process of automating this environment starts from creating a Jenkins Pipeline for code deploy to the application that needs to be build. The Pipeline also needs integration of CyberArk for the Authentication and registering the service account required for the automation. The following process is triggered as part of the Ansible playbook where it performs multiple roles to complete automation of the Application. The Ansible role first calls for a CloudFormation Template. A CloudFormation Template is used to Build a Stack required (EC2 Instance). This template is given the AMI ID of the Verizon standard. The CloudFormation Template after the creation of the Instance triggers a WebSphere Role from Ansible that installs the OpenJDK, WebSphere Liberty Profile, creating a WLP User and Add the Necessary Net groups for the application. An AMI of the Instance at this point is created. STEPS TO CREATE THE APPLICATION INSTANCES The process of automating this environment starts from creating a Jenkins Pipeline for code deploy to the application that needs to be build. The Pipeline also needs integration of CyberArk for the Authentication and registering the service account required for the automation. The following process is triggered as part of the Ansible playbook where it performs multiple roles to complete automation of the Application. The Ansible role first calls for a CloudFormation Template. A CloudFormation Template is used to Build a Stack required (EC2 Instance). This template is given the Custom AMI created for IVR. After the creation of the Instance an S3 Role is triggered from Ansible. The S3 Role Performs the Ansible Role based on the Application Instance. NOTE: An S3 Bucket with folder structure for each application is maintained to keep the updated code and certificates along with other required installation files. IVR Touch Point S3 role fetches the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-TP folder of the S3 bucket and install them on the Instance that is created by the Cloud Formation Role. IVR Middleware S3 role fetches the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-MW folder of the S3 bucket and install them on the Instance that is created by the Cloud Formation Role. IVR Activations S3 role fetches the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-Activations of the S3 bucket and install them on the Instance that is created by the Cloud Formation Role. IVR CTI S3 role fetches the IBM eXtreme Scale Grid Installation followed by Siteminder SSO installation. After the application requirements are fulfilled, the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-CTI folder of the S3 bucket are deployed on the Instance. IVR Work Hub S3 role fetches the IBM eXtreme Scale Grid Installation followed by Siteminder SSO installation. After the application requirements are fulfilled, the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR