The History of Life on Earth

The Carboniferous Period is a geologic time period that took place between 360 to 286 million years ago. The Carboniferous Period is named after the rich coal deposits that are present in rock layers from this time period. The Age of Amphibians The Carboniferous Period is also known as the Age of Amphibians. It is the fifth of six geologic periods that together make up the Paleozoic Era. The Carboniferous Period is preceded by the Devonian Period and followed by the Permian Period. The climate of the Carboniferous Period was quite uniform (there were no distinct seasons) and it was more humid and tropical than our present-day climate. The plant life of the Carboniferous Period resembled modern tropical plants. The Carboniferous Period was a time when the first of many animal groups evolved: the first true bony fishes, the first sharks, the first amphibians, and the first amniotes. The appearance of the amniotes is evolutionarily significant because of the amniotic egg, the defining characteristic of amniotes, enabled the ancestors of modern reptiles, birds, and mammals to reproduce on land and colonize terrestrial habitats that were previously uninhabited by vertebrates.   Mountain Building The Carboniferous Period was a time of mountain building when the collision of the Laurussian and Gondwanaland land masses formed the supercontinent Pangea. This collision resulted in the uplifting of mountain ranges such as the Appalachian Mountains, the Hercynian Mountains, and the Ural Mountains. During the Carboniferous Period, the vast oceans that covered the earth often flooded the continents, creating warm, shallow seas. It was during this time that the armored fish that had been abundant in the Devonian Period became extinct and were replaced by more modern fishes. As the Carboniferous Period progressed, the uplifting of landmasses resulted in an increase in erosion and the building of floodplains and river deltas. The increased freshwater habitat meant that some marine organisms such as corals and crinoids died out. New species that were adapted to the reduced salinity of these waters evolved, such as freshwater clams, gastropods, sharks, and bony fish. Vast Swamp Forests Freshwater wetlands increased and formed vast swamp forests. Fossil remains show that air-breathing insects, arachnids, and myriapods were present during the Late Carboniferous. The seas were dominated by sharks and their relatives and it was during this period that sharks underwent much diversification. Arid Environments   Land snails first appeared and dragonflies and mayflies diversified. As the land habitats dried, animals evolved ways of adapting to the arid environments. The amniotic egg enabled early tetrapods to break free of the bonds to aquatic habitats for reproduction. The earliest known amniote is Hylonomus, a lizard-like creature with a strong jaw and slender limbs. Early tetrapods diversified significantly during the Carboniferous Period. These included the temnospondyls and the anthracosaurs. Finally, the first diapsids and synapsids evolved during the Carboniferous. By the middle the Carboniferous Period, tetrapods were common and quite diverse. The varied in size (some measuring up to 20 feet in length). As the climate grew cooler and drier, the evolution of amphibians slowed and the appearance of amniotes lead to a new evolutionary path.

The Armenian Genocide - 694 Words

You have heard of â€Å" Martin Luther King Day,† or â€Å"Columbus Day,† but have you ever heard of â€Å"National Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day?† This lesser known genocide was a precursor to the Holocaust. It started on April 24, 1915 and lasted up until 1923. It was calculated that over one and a half million Armenians died during this period of time. This genocide was planned out by the Turkish government, against all the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire. In the beginning there were around 2 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, and by the end of the 1923 there were around 388,000 were left. Whether a front-line soldier or pregnant woman, famous professor or high bishop, important businessman or ardent patriot; all 2,000,000 of them. It seemed to have died out around the end of the war in 1918, but soon continued back up in 1920. The Armenians were an indo-european group who are one of the world’s oldest civilizations,whose main religion(s) were Orthodox or Roman Catholic. They have an olive to dark complexion and have brown or black hair. Armenian People They were an agricultural group of people who were subject to one of the worst disasters of WWI, and the first genocide of the 20th century. They lived in Armenia, which is now Northeastern Turkey.Armenian Map They are known for their art style, carpets, and architecture. They were a group that has always been overtaken by others some being, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Persians and finally the Ottoman Turks. The ones trulyShow MoreRelatedThe Armenian Genocide2102 Words   |  9 PagesArmenian Genocide Andy Leeds Ms. Bullis English 1 April 24 Armenians are a Christian nation, and when they were a country, they were the first to proclaim Christianity as the state religion. The Ottoman Empire took control of Armenia during the 15th century, and they were mistreated for quite a while due to religious differences (Christians vs. Muslims), and this mistreatment culminated and peaked during 1915-1918. During World War I, the Ottoman Empire took the opportunity among a world of chaosRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Armenian Genocide873 Words   |  4 Pagesgenerous people â€Å"give† without the expectation of â€Å"taking† back, the world automatically offers them the better. There was poverty in all the villages of Armenia. Armenian Christians were continuously under attacks. The attacks against Christian Armenians occurred throughout the year 1915. This is the age that is well known for the Armenian Genocide, which was carried out by the Ottoman Turks. Escaping the Ottoman forces, my grandmother, Sosek Boghosian, found herself as a refuge in Iraq. Horrific actsRead MoreThe Armenian and Cambodian Genocides707 Words   |  3 PagesGenocide Paper The definition of genocide, according to the United Nations, was the attempt to destroy â€Å"a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group† by killing members, causing mental or bodily harm, harsh living conditions, prevention of births, and separating children from their families. There are four patterns of genocide, which do not always occur in every genocide since they’re not all the same. The four patterns include persecution, which is hostility and ill-treatment, especially towardRead MoreThe Armenian Genocide And The Ukrainian Genocide1225 Words   |  5 Pagesto repeat itself. Genocides have been committed throughout history, even before the term was assembled in 1944 and accepted by the United Nations in 1946 as a crime under international law. According to the United Nations, genocide is defined as â€Å"intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.† A minimum of twenty-seven genocides have been documented across the world. During the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide and the Ukrainian genocide (Holodomor) transpiredRead More The Armenian Genocide Essay906 Words   |  4 Pages The Armenian Genocide, also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Great Calamity, and the Armenian Massacre, was the organized killing of nearly 1.5 million Armenians. It occurred in the Ottoman Empire - present-day Turkey - where 2 million Armenians lived. The Armenian Genocide is the second-most studied massacre, after the Nazi Holocaust. Twenty-two countries have officially recognized it as genocide, but the Republic of Turkey rejects the characterization of the events as genocide. Many ArmeniansRead MoreThe Armenian Genocide Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pages The Armenian Genocide was a terrible atrocity that was committed against the Armenian people. During the time the genocide took place and afterwards, there had been people who had witnessed the tragedy that befell the Armenians and wrote poems in o rder to show the world what had truly happened to their people, and to get us, the readers, the emphasize with them as well. Some poets that highlighted the atrocious acts that happened during the Armenian genocide were Siamanto who wrote â€Å"The Dance† andRead MoreCauses Of The Armenian Genocide1508 Words   |  7 PagesThe Armenian Genocide began in 1915 and ended in 1923 when the Ottoman Empire dismantled and became the Republic of Turkey. The Ottoman Empire consisted of regions in three different continents which caused their empire to be multilingual and multinational. The empire reached from Southeast Europe, parts of Central Europe, Western Asia, the Caucasus, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa. The Turks, who controlled the Ottoman Empire were Islamic and some people within their empire were not, but thatRead MoreEssay on Recognizing the Armenian Genocide1266 Words   |  6 PagesThe Armenian Genocide, also known as the Armenian Holocaust, was the organized kill ing of Armenians. While there is no clear agreement on how many Armenians lost their lives, there is general agreement among Western scholars that over a million Armenians may have perished between 1914 and 1918. It all happened during the Ottoman Empire, present-day Turkey, where 2 million Armenians lived. The Armenian Genocide is the second-most studied massacre, after the Holocaust. To date Twenty-two countriesRead MoreEssay about Armenian Genocide2049 Words   |  9 Pagesgroup. The Armenian people faced this situation during the time of WWI. Life between the Turks (Armenia’s rival) and the Armenians was very complex. Not all Armenians hated the Turks, and not all Turks hated the Armenians. Consequently, the Armenian people were not aware of any forms of annihilation that were being plotted at the time. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What exactly is the definition of a Genocide According to the World Book Dictionary, genocide means:Read MoreThe Evil of Armenian Genocide Essay836 Words   |  4 Pagesyears ago the horrific Genocide of the Armenians took place. Turkey has shown a classic example of the evil that can result by human beings. Millions of Armenians were slaughtered and murdered in front of their family members. The destruction that constantly plays out throughout the world is cuased by human beings. Hsun Tzu would have also agreed that the young Turks were in face by nature extremely evil. April 24th is the day of grief for many Armenians. Almost every Armenian reminisces on their

Sunflower free essay sample

Introduction A profoundly poignant account portraying the internal conflict Simon Wiesenthal experiences when a dying Nazi soldier earnestly seeks his forgiveness,  The Sunflower  provokes introspective discussion about forgiveness, justice, mercy, and human responsibility. While metaphorically gazing upon the sunflowers displayed on the graves of soldiers, Simon is forced to mechanically march towards the Technical High School he once attended. The familiar surroundings evoke memories of the hatred and contempt he encountered while he was a student, particularly on the examination days that had been entitled a day without Jews by his Polish classmates (Wiesenthal 20). When he arrives at the Technical High School (now a military hospital), Simon and the other prisoners are instructed to carry cartons filled with rubbish out of the building (Wiesenthal 22). After confirming that he is Jewish, a nurse escorts Simon to the bedside of a dying Nazi solider named Karl. With his yellow-stained bandaged head appearing through the semidarkness of the hospital room, Karl hauntingly recounts his involvement in the horrifying death of a father, a mother, and a dark-eyed child who are brutally shot down after jumping out of a burning building (Wiesenthal 42-43). Simon becomes extremely distressed with the imagery evoked by the untimely demise of the dark-eyed child, especially when he theoretically identifies the child with a six-year old named Eli (Wiesenthal 46). Indeed, while recalling the heart-wrenching scenes of the kindergarten extermination, Simon fights the urge to leave the hospital room as the dying soldier continues to recount the rest of his confession. With sincere remorse in his voice, Karl begs for the forgiveness of a Jew. The irony of this dying soldiers confession arises from the fact that a murderer who did not want to be a murderer but who had been made into a murderer by his murderous ideology was confessing his crime to a man that may die by the hands of these same murderers at any time (Wiesenthal 53). Struggling with this ironic dilemma and having an imagery of the child with piercing eyes that questioned the hatred of the world surrounding him, Simon leaves the soldier in complete silence. Back at the concentration camp, Simon confides with his closest companions about the dying soldiers confession which profoundly disturbed him (Wiesenthal 63-68). During such discussion, Simon seeks and challenges the opinions of his contemporaries about the beliefs on justice, mercy, human responsibility, and forgiveness. His sleep is disturbed that night by visions of a pale-faced Eli submersed in a bloody mess (Wiesenthal 68). Simon is awakened from his night terror by Arthur, who anxiously warns him that the last man who experienced such sleep disturbances was immediately killed. Once more, Simon is reminded that death is a constant companion in the concentration camps (Wiesenthal 69). The next day, Simon is overwhelmed with the fear that the dying soldier will renew his plea for forgiveness (Wiesenthal 73). Instead, the nurse informs Simon that the soldier died during the night. In compliance with Karls request, the nurse attempts to give Simon a portion of the soldiers possessions. Simon kindly refuses the package and insists that the nurse send it to his mother instead (Wiesenthal 73-74). Upon returning to the camp, Arthur once again confronts Simon about his sleep disturbances. Such confrontation leads to this statement made by Arthur that epitomizes the adversity faced by the Jews during World War II (1939-1945): If we survive this camp -and I dont think we will- and if the world comes to its senses again, inhabited by people who look on each other as human beings, then there will be plenty of time to discuss the question of forgiveness nobody who has not had our experiences will be able to understand fully. When we here argue about the problem [of forgiveness], we are indulging in a luxury which we in our position simply cannot afford (Wiesenthal 75). Apparently, the anti-Semitism and lust for power that pervaded the German culture during this time fermented the hopelessness and helplessness that permeated throughout the Jewish culture. Two years later, Simon is still haunted by the confession of the Nazi soldier despite the fact that hunger dulls the thinking processes (Wiesenthal 78). He even envisions that there is an angry expression in the eyes that were completely hidden by the yellow-tinted bandage encompassing his face (Wiesenthal 78). When confiding in his only surviving comrade (a Polish priest-in-training that continued to pray despite the environment of the camp and the mockery of others), Simon discovers that his subconscious is not completely satisfied with the actions he underwent during his encounter with the soldier (Wiesenthal 81). Simon questions if he had the power to forgive the soldier in the name of the Jewish community and if repentance is truly the most important element when seeking forgiveness (Wiesenthal 83). Plagued with profound questions about the limits and possibilities of humanity and wrestling with the uncertainty of his reaction to the soldiers repentance, Simon decides to visit Karls mother. During this visit, he keeps silent about the atrocities her son committed in order to preserve her last possession-faith in the goodness of her son (Wiesenthal 94). While depicting silence as a phenomenon more eloquent than words that can be interpreted in many ways, Simon ponders the morality of his silence (Wiesenthal 97). He then concludes his sad and tragic episode of life by prompting you to mentally construct his perspective when asking yourself the decisive question, What would I have done? (Wiesenthal 98). Simon Wiesenthal Simon Wiesenthal metaphorically perceived death, personalized the soldiers account by theoretically identifying the dark-eyed child with Eli, perceived the soldiers confession as sincere repentance, left the soldier in silence after his imploration of forgiveness, sought and challenged the opinions of well-respected contemporaries, declined acceptance of the soldiers possessions, visited the soldiers mother, concealed the atrocities committed by the soldier from the mother, and dedicated his life to identifying Nazi war criminals. However, despite the soldiers heartfelt confession that profoundly disturbed him for years, Simon failed to truly forgive and forget the atrocities committed by the Nazi soldier. While envying the sunflowers growing atop the graves of Nazi soldiers and acknowledging the connection to life that each sunflower signifies, Simon metaphorically explores the perception of death. Resentful of the reality that his corpse will be buried in a mass grave where no sunflower would ever bring light into [his] darkness, and no butterflies would dance above [his] dreadful tomb and that the graves of Nazi soldiers would each have a sunflower to connect them with the living world, Simon interprets the sunflowers as a symbol for Nazi superiority even in death (Wiesenthal 14-15). This symbolical insight guides his emotions and thoughts while listening to the dissertation of the dying soldier: I didnt know what he wanted to confess, but I knew that after his death a sunflower would grow on his grave it would accompany him to the cemetery, stand on his grave, and sustain his connection with life. And this I envied him (Wiesenthal 30). Focusing on the sunflower as a connection to life reinforces the Nazi conception that Jews are an inferior race. Simons preoccupation with sunflowers as a connection to life may actually allude to him being infected by the Nazis in such a way that he is beginning to think that the Germans are in some way superior (Wiesenthal 62). However, in contrast to Simons metaphoric thinking, Arthur dispels the notion of German superiority when he states that the sunflowers will rot away like the Germans (Wiesenthal 63). Evidently, continuous oppression may subconsciously induce not only feelings of hopelessness but also feelings of unworthiness and inferiority- feelings that can be expressed even while thinking metaphorically. Metaphoric thinking was dominate throughout this time period because Everything was unreal and insubstantial: the earth was peopled with mystical shapes; God was on leave, and in His absence others had taken over, to give us signs and hints (Wiesenthal 36). A belief in mysticism and superstition could more readily explain why such atrocities were being performed without casting doubt on the existence of God as an omnipotent, omnipresent, or benevolent deity. The Jews were also more apt to cling to completely nonsensical interpretations as a way to obtain hope, for the eternal optimism of the Jew surpassed all reason (Wiesenthal 36). Metaphoric thinking was a means of escaping the appalling reality of the Jewish existence that daily included sickness, suffering, and death. Developing a metaphor for the perception of death that would involve sunflowers is indeed a reflection of the cultural attitude that persisted during the Holocaust. Identifying the dark-eyed child with six-year-old Eli, the last Jewish child he had encountered, allowed Simon to internalize the horrifying story evocatively communicated by the Nazi soldier. This internalization of narrative formed a more intimate glance into the atrocity of the crime, thereby making it difficult for Simon to respond to the tragic account with indifference. Indeed, theoretically identifying the child as Eli ensured that the apathy which compelled the Jews to work in a trance did not apply to the soldiers dreadful crime. Simon perceived the soldiers confession as sincere repentance because of the way in which the soldier spoke and the fact that he went out of his way to speak to a Jew. Unlike so many of the other soldiers, Karl had a warm undertone in his voice as he spoke about the Jews (Wiesenthal 40). The tone of his voice, the clutch of his hand, and the atmosphere of despair surrounding the dying soldier were idioms of distress culturally sanctioned by the Jewish culture regarding earnest repentance. Such nonverbal gestures led Simon to accept the soldiers confession as being repentance. Leaving the soldier in silence following his imploration of forgiveness was the emotional reaction of Simon. He was too disturbed by the imagery of the lifeless child in the arms of his father to sympathize with the dying Nazi soldier. Not wanting to condemn the dying man (only God may pass such judgment according to the Jewish faith), Simon most likely felt that silence was the best expression of his sentiment at the time. Indeed, he later conveys that silence is a phenomenon more eloquent than words that can be interpreted in many ways (Wiesenthal 97). Although silence allows for freedom of interpretation, it does not provide a sense of closure. Simon was thus profoundly disturbed by his encounter with the Nazi soldier for an awfully long time. Years after the death of the Nazi soldier, Simon visited his mother in order to gain a better understanding of the personality for this unusual soldier. He also secretly hoped that he would find something that contradicted with the soldiers narrative so that the feelings of sympathy which [he] could not reject would then perhaps disappear (Wiesenthal 87). Such a hope for contradiction derives from the cultural sanction that liars are malicious scoundrels unworthy of sympathy. Although he did not find such contradiction, Simon encountered the issue of whether or not he should reveal the atrocities Karl committed to his mother. Again, Simon chose to depart in silence. He did not want to take away her last possession- faith in the integrity of her son. Taking away this notion of goodness that she so fervently clung to would be considered larceny in the Jewish culture, a crime which Simon could not compel himself to do (Wiesenthal 95). The notion that taking from Karls mother is theft may have also compelled Simon to decline the request of the soldier and insist that all possessions be sent to the mother instead. Of course, Simon may have also refused the possessions so that he had no physical reminder of the Nazi soldier. When questioning the morality of his actions, Simon sought and challenged the opinions of well-respected contemporaries. Such counsel and discussion fostered a better understanding of the others views (Wiesenthal 83). In truth, humanity is motivated by the need to be understood- a notion that crosses all cultural boundaries. Among the beliefs discussed with contemporaries, justice and forgiveness were the most prevalent. Simon believes that the years of suffering inflicted deep wounds on [his] faith that justice existed in the world (Wiesenthal 83). He is especially vexed that since [the Nazis] did not believe in God they were not afraid of Divine Judgment. It was only earthly justice that they feared (Wiesenthal 85). Such vexation compelled Simon to serve on the commission for the investigation of Nazi crimes (Wiesenthal 83). Despite his devotion to identifying Nazi war criminals and bringing them to justice, Simon Wiesenthal cannot truly say that he has forgiven the Nazi criminals for their atrocities and murderous theology. He is still plagued by questions regarding the morality of his silence and the limits of forgiveness. Despite such questioning, Simon still manages to defend his actions of unforgiveness by asserting that there are those who can appreciate my dilemma, and so endorse my attitude, and there are those who will be ready to condemn me for refusing to ease the last moment of a repentant murderer but the crux of the matter is forgiveness is an act of volition, and only the sufferer is qualified to make the decision (Wiesenthal 98). Such a defense is culturally sanctioned by the Jewish community which emphasizes that nobody who has not had our experiences will be able to understand fully (Wiesenthal 75). Sven Alkalaj In reaction to Wiesenthals query proposed in his concluding paragraph of  The Sunflower, Sven Alkalaj personally argues that forgiveness is possible when there is a genuine recognition of guilt but that forgetting is unthinkable (Wiesenthal 105). According to Alkalaj, forgetting the crimes would be much worse that forgiving the criminal who seeks forgiveness since forgetting the crimes devalues the humanity that perished in these atrocities (Wiesenthal 102). Not only would the cruelty be forgotten, but the memory of those who suffered and died would also be forgotten. In a sense, the death and suffering of loved ones would be in vain without the memory of the strength, faith, courage, and love expressed during such calamity. Justice must be expressed as a measure that is absolutely necessary for forgiveness and reconciliation. Without the enforcement of justice, genocide goes unpunished and there are no boundaries set up to prevent genocide. Having witnessed the dismantling of families as even children are deliberately killed, tortured, and raped, this Bosnian Jew understands all too well the desperate need for preventing the atrocities and shame associated with genocide. Such experience sustains the belief that there is a national or state responsibility for genocide, for mass murder, and for an artificial hatred among society (a hatred that disregards the value of a human life). Indeed, genocide is not just a crime against one person or society, but rather it is a crime against humanity. Upholding the cultural sanction that genocide is a crime against humanity and employing reconciliation and justice as the mode for preventing these future crimes will return the world to an inherent beauty of living (Wiesenthal 105). Rodger Kamenetz In reaction to Wiesenthals query proposed in his concluding paragraph of  The Sunflower, Rodger Kamenetz supports the notion that silence was the best response when considering the circumstances. Although the confession of the Nazi soldier was passionately earnest, he failed to reverently address Simon as an individual person whose identity is composed of more than just being Jewish. He merely referred to Simon as Jew- not a Jew or a Jewish person. The Nazi soldier never inquired about Simons history, life, opinion, or name. He could confess his guilt from the suffering he inflicted, yet his perception was still tainted by the prejudice, hatred, and contempt embedded in Nazi ideals. He could not see Simon as human; instead, Simon was just another Jew, a subhuman whose only purpose was to satisfy his dying request. Had the cultural sanction of respect been upheld, then forgiveness could have been discussed and possibly obtained (Wiesenthal 181). Tiffany Whigham In reaction to Wiesenthals query proposed in his concluding paragraph of  The Sunflower, I believe that I would have also been deeply disturbed by the imagery of the large, piercing eyes of the child gazing upon you as if to innocently ask why there is so much calamity encompassing our people. The depiction of the child would most certainly evoke powerful emotions of despair, shame, and anger. Such powerful emotions would most likely compel me to remain silent. To me, remaining silent is much better than condemning another. Judgment and condemnation are Gods responsibilities. As time passed, I am certain that I would begin to feel guilty for being silent. Shame would come upon me as I would recount the missed opportunity that I had to rise above my subhuman existence. Unlike Simon and Arthur, I would not believe that a superman has asked a subhuman to do something which is superhuman (Wiesenthal 66). My personal faith in God influences this belief. Jesus Christ expounded upon the limits of forgiveness when he died on the cross for the atonement of the entire worlds sin. There is no limit to forgiveness and the possibilities are endless, you just have to be willing to put aside selfish desires so that the Holy Spirit can fill your heart with unconditional love. To love is to forgive, and to forgive is to experience existential freedom. Simon was not able to experience this existential freedom. Instead, I fear that his life was consumed by resentment and bitterness. Not only did he devote his entire life to bringing Nazi criminals to justice, but he was tortured by the imagery of the dying soldier for years. Simons resentment is even projected onto the memory of the Nazi soldier, who he envisions having an angry expression in the eyes that were completely hidden by the yellow-tinted bandage surrounding his face (Wiesenthal 78). My query for Simon would therefore be Why continue to bind oneself to the entrapments associated with unforgiveness? . In reaction to the response given by Sven Alkalaj, I whole-heartedly agree that one should forgive but never forget. Erasing painful memories inhibits growth. However, no one should dwell on those painful memories or else he/she may fall victim to an overwhelming sense of bitterness and resentment. The cultural sanction that maturity involves learning from your mistakes (which you cannot learn from without some form of memory) and that too much focus on one event/memory causes an emotional imbalance (or psychosis) influences this belief. Upholding the American ideal that the purpose of government is to indiscriminately protect the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of its citizens, I also support Alkalajs notion that there is a national or state responsibility for genocide. In reaction to the response given by Rodger Kamenetz, I disagree that Simon could not forgive the dying man. Despite the fact that he never attempted to connect with Simon on a more intimate level, the dying soldiers heartfelt confession was a sincere repentance that should not be rejected. I agree that disregarding the personal attributes (name, opinion, values, etc. ) of someone is a sign of disrespect. However, that disrespect should not inhibit one from forgiveness. This notion that one should forgive whether or not he or she deserves forgiveness is reflected by my personal faith. Jesus was condemned by his own people, yet he still made the choice to excruciatingly die on the cross for our sins (even though He was fully aware of his impending death). Inspired by this ultimate account of forgiveness, I earnestly believe that no one (no matter how undeserving) should be rejected after sincere repentance. Although I feel I too would have remained silent that day when the soldier begged for forgiveness, I would not have let unforgiveness consume me for years thereafter. Instead, I would have restored inherent beauty to the world by embracing the power of forgiveness.

Strategic Management for International Financial Management

Question: Discuss about theStrategic Management for International Financial Management. Answer: Introduction The trend of commerce on the internet has now turned to heavily rely on the financial institutions, therefore serving as the third party during the electronic payment processes. Though the system works well for most of the transactions, it still suffers from the deep-rooted weakness of trust based models. The weakness of confidence based model occurs in cases where there is no reversing of transactions which results to mediating disputes among the organizations (Ansoff, 2014). The resolutions of disputes lead to increase the cost of operations, the process that limits the threshold transactions size and more so reducing the possibility of small and friendly deals. On the other hand, the broader cost of transactions results in the inability to make none-reversible payment to cater for non-reversible services. For the success and the need for trust, the stakeholders should be aware of their clients expectations and collect relevant information concerning the services they need. Though the uncertainties such as fraud tend to exits, there must be a trusted party to make the payment over the communication channel (Birkinshaw, 2004). To do away with the third or the trusted party, the introduction of an electronic system that typically relies on cryptographic is ideal. The system would enable a transaction between two people without the need of the third party. To protect sellers and buyers from frauds, the implementation of common escrow mechanism is acceptable (Jeyarathmm, 2008). The system works through the server that works by generating the computations proof sequential order of all transactions. The calculation system is more reliable and secure so long as certain nodes control more CPU power as compared to any cooperating group of the attacker nodes. Comparison of the resources and capabilities required to mine cryptocurrency by small home users and large commercial factories For local and an average small-scale home user bitcoin miner, it would be a bit hard to regain the cost of mining the hardware and that of electricity. In this situation, the profit margin for the home miners is highly unlikely. The situation can improve in future if measures such as ASIS mining hardware innovation clench and reach the point of diminishing the returns. On the contrary, cheap cost of electricity and sustainable power solutions makes the mining of Bitcoin to be profitable to all individual including the small-scale miners across the globe but favors mostly large commercial factories (Sadler, 2004). Through decentralization of Bitcoin network, would guarantee the improvement of hardening process that works against the legislative risk. The costs and viability of mining bitcoin Gold rush refers to early days of mining bitcoin. Bitcoin, the invention by scientist Satoshi Nakamoto open the perimeter of not only freedom but also the profit margins, hence the peer to peer electronic cash transfer (Appannaiah, Narayana Reddy, and Ramanath, 2009). The actively interested individual like cryptographers and cypherpunks were the first make their claims in bitcoin, hence referred to as the technically minded librarians and also the group of people called assorted hackers. For casual and an average home bitcoin miner, it would be a bit hard to regain the cost of mining the hardware and that of electricity. In this situation, the profit margin for the home miners is highly unlikely. The situation can improve in future if measures such as ASIS mining hardware innovation clench and reach the point of diminishing the returns. With hopefully cheap and sustainable power solutions, the mining of Bitcoin would be profitable to all individual including the small-scale miners across the globe (Blackstone, n.d.). Through decentralization of Bitcoin network, would guarantee the improvement of hardening process that works against the legislative risk. The threat of cryptocurrencies to hard currency banks The hidden technology behind Bitcoin and the boom in the cryptocurrency are increasingly becoming the threat to the central banks. The executes of a major central bank were happily watching the progressive movement of the cryptocurrency through trial and error safely acknowledging the cryptocurrency making insignificance comparison of approximately $5trillion of circulation of day to day current currency market. But as of late, the executives have turned their eyes to ever-increasing depraved technology (BRIGHAM, 2018). The risk of using cryptocurrency would be that they are acting too late both the pitfalls as well as the great opportunity thats is brought by digital coinage-to the point thats central banks no longer in position to treat the cyber currencies as toys to joke around within the sandbox. The threat is widespread to the point that even the chief advisor responsible for China Banking and Regular commission as well as the distinguished individuals of Asian Global Institute at Hong Kong University (Financial management, 2014). The people acknowledge that its the right time for them to realize that real merchants and barbarians are standing at the gate restless. The best-known digital currency-Bitcoin together with its peers has to pose fear and threat to the already established monetary system through conveniently circumventing it (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2017). As the regulatory factor, money fully depends on the sets of an author by positive start for credibility, with central bank being classically managing the price value and its quantity as well. With the introduction of cryptocurrency, all the author by a statement about money system become dormant and instead turn to rely on powerful technology, which is un-hackable hence guaranteeing its value. More individuals are adopting this system of bitcoin and therefore if the government would not intervene, then central bank could witness massive erosion regarding their regulatory act of money supply. The ever growing business concerning bitcoin would outshine the central bank, and if appropriate measures are not taken, the central bank would be forced to join them. To remedy the situation, the principal bank of various states has put up strategies which include the launching of the joint research project which tailored ways using the distributed ledgers. The main aim of the technology is to replace the cryptocurrencies for purposes of market infrastructure (Knott, 2004). On the other hand, the Dutch government has come up with their cryptocurrency that is used for ideally internally circulation purposes, to enable them to discover its operations. The Dutch central bank has come up with their cryptocurrency for internal distribution only, to comprehend how the cryptocurrency mode works. Additionally, the former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve -Ben Bernanke, the form is in support of the cryptocurrency as the largest and digital currency of this era (Foundations of financial management, 2016). Furthermore, Russia has also eyed on the blockchain program and hence categorized as the second biggest after China regarding digitalizing currency. The criminal cases on usages of cryptocurrency Dating back from the time the cryptocurrency existed that is in 2009, the new technology propels by virtual currency, and its nature makes anonymous in criminal cases that arise from various organizations (Madura, 2018). Its of concern for law enforcers in any organizations to come up with regulations and rules to monitor the operations of cryptocurrency unless otherwise, the crime rate would be more likely to happen. Through research, it was found that the cryptocurrency work through decentralization of public ledger system, widely termed as the Blockchain.Furthermore, the majority of cryptocurrency work by running the system created by highly trained but unknown individual. Typically, the blockchain operates just the way electronic signature key-that is the hash codes of cryptography is printed on public ledger system. Once the coin in cryptocurrency is created through the process of mining on computer node, the series of complex mathematical computation, a calculation is performed (Pandey, 2015). The process of computing is termed as proof of work, the original signature together with hash coded of the coin is fed on the public ledger on the first node after which is transmitted to all the node in the network system of the block. Upon the completing the transmission process of a block to respective nodes, they verify that the transaction is valid, after which a copy is printed on the public ledger account. Although the secret electronic signatures of individual user are contained the coin, there is no identifiable personal details and information. From the wide array of view, this the cryptocurrency system would allow individual to see all the transactions that one has conducted through the electronic signature. However, the system would not allow identifying from who the exact location where the operations emanated from or where its terminated. Looking at future scenarios incorporating the cryptocurrencies the Global Public Policy Institute would create room for future where terrorism devolves back to populist movements and employs decentralized hierarchy heavily influenced by online interactions (PRASANNA CHANDRA., 2011). The hope for tomorrow concerning cryptocurrencies could allow groups conveniently transfer money between supporters and single or between the small group operatives as well as being used as means of buying and selling software used in cyberterrorism attacks and support physical terrorist attacks as well. Cryptocurrency is currently categorized as the system that works to exploit a massive vulnerability on the globe regarding financial. However, the legal systems and law enforcement organizations are constantly on through research to acquire the knowledge and tools to eradicate the illicit use of cryptocurrency (Bensoussan and Fleisher, 2008). Furthermore, the law enforcement agencies and regulators posit that cryptocurrencies are in their early stage of infancy, with intense and massive changes in their operation, in trading aspect and foundational technology aspect are reported to have realized radical change. This rapid change cryptocurrencies would facilitate its capacity to configure its stability or to attain its mature state, which means that there would be the unpredictable moving target to track and hit. The interest of the Chinese government in cryptocurrency and the implications of this interest worldwide The collaboration with which China and Japan have encouraged the very efficient system of currency has significantly contributed to their significant success digital money circulation. Furthermore, cryptocurrencies have become well known and of great value. More so, people could have depended upon them in some years back. The value of a bitcoin has highly risen and even exceeding some billions of the currencies. Also, the currencies have reflected the great potential in its viable and reliability hence increasing capacity to be adopted by banking institutions (PRASANNA CHANDRA., 2011). The making of the street has encouraged the mode using cryptocurrency systems in years to come, which would enable the onset of payments using bitcoins and the countries like New York has been licensed to trade. However, some sad information concerning cryptocurrencies has come up as well, such as leakage of information leading to robbery case in the process of currency exchange the tuning of millions. Nevertheless, cryptocurrencies can be stable than the native currency in the two countries although they are not independent. Somehow the way they are much far from it, prices can be raised as many drops are not frequent, and public opinions can be valuable. The illustration by Mark Cuban issues perfectly as he searched in the Twitter, knowing that Bitcoin was not a currency, its value dropped at a high rate (Pandey, 2015). Recently, Ethereum also lost his 4 billion of money value when a sad story came that Vitalik Buterin, who was his founder died in a road accident Cryptocurrency as apparently risen and they can no longer be ignored as it is new and the major system in the world. But the biggest question to be asked is what will the whole world adopt this system of currency and the system of finance? Bitcoin cash Bitcoin cash saw its value surge immediately following its inception and was thus ranked as number three in the market capitalization that stood at 8 billion dollars following a report by the coin market cap. However, two currencies are ahead of Bitcoin cash with regards to market capitalization, and these are Bitcoin and Ethereum. The sharp rise of Bitcoin Cash as a cryptocurrency due to the larger capacity it offers regarding commanding a large block as compared to the Bitcoin in the first phase of trade. However, it is critical to note that investments in crypto coins and tokens are a speculative affair and that the market is unregulated. Any person willing to enter into such a venture should be prepared to lose either the whole investment. As planned by the backers on August 1, the launch of Bitcoin came well ahead of the stipulated time. There are high expectations and hopes for the Bitcoin cash in future in light of generating more interest for the miners and investors. Ethereum Ethereum is a computing network that operates on a universal basis and operates as dictated by Ethereum software. According to Ethereum network, it was programmed to finish some computing jobs with a connection where every computer in the network is completing the task ensuring that the task has been performed accurately and precisely. Most of the tasks involve money. The creator of Ethereum compared it to a smartphone that has an app and thus operates as per the apps in it. The apps in Ethereum are known as Dapps run by a decentralized connection of computers. The Ethereum network developed its virtual currency known as ether. Ether is the currency that is needed for paying the other computers in the network in completing some tasks. It is a network that uses Ether in paying the power of computing for the connected computers. Bitcoin Bitcoin is an emerging currency that was developed in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto. There are no middlemen and no banks in the transactions. With Bitcoin, no names get mentioned in transactions, and many merchants are beginning to accept it as a medium of conducting their businesses. Bitcoins are gain familiarity in the international market as it was cheap and is not restricted to any regulations as opposed to other currencies. Small companies also prefer Bitcoins as there are no fees charged compared to a credit card. For some people, Bitcoins have become a lucrative business where people purchase them and keep them hoping their value will go up and thus sell them. Porters Five Forces Schermerhorn describes the five forces model as one that involves intense competition and rivalry in an industry that is comprised of firms and may lead to implications. The competition in this industry involves the Bitcoin monetary system versus the monetary systems that follow the traditional approach. Threats of substitutes The existence of a competitive force that is compelling may be termed as an opportunity as it reduces the profit margin. The presence of a force that is weak may be perceived as an opportunity since it will create more room for profit making to an organization. The Porters five forces strengths are dynamic and thus will change depending on the prevailing conditions. It is the role of the managers to understand how the changes may be manipulated in offering opportunities and thus develop strategies to address the opportunities. Threats to new entrants The entry of a new player in the market involves threats generated by new competitors joining the market. For many decades, the traditional money market has been a dominant player in the money market and the central banking mechanism has been playing a vital role in the banking sector. Bitcoin monetary system is providing a platform in the money market that is unique among its competitors thus maintaining its rank. Suppliers bargaining power The supplier with regards to Porters model involves the bargaining command from different aspects. It includes the agencies that generate currencies into the system. Also, customers form the buyers bargaining power. The customers also provide a platform for opportunities for the two monetary systems to compete. The substitute, in this case, is Bitcoin. However, as noted the system is aiming to move away from traditional money and thus poses a threat to the traditional monetary system. Buyers bargaining power It is augmented that the traditional monetary system is the most lucrative currency sector. Suppliers of this sector are bountiful and undifferentiated. They entail employers, institutions, and enterprises. Buyers hail from the different sectors of the economy. Rivalry intensity by competitors The entrance of new players in the market seems to create technological implications that are termed as a threat. The advancements in technology provide room for new entrants that bring along a new technology raising the bar in the market. Rivalry here is between the Bitcoin and the traditional money. According to the custom, the money system involves physical transfers of cash among the customers. On the other hand, the Bitcoin aims at currency transfers over the internet in what is referred as virtual currency. It is, therefore, true that the operations of this technology are real over time. Much pressure has been impounded on traditional money system to cut down its charges to remain relevant. PESTEL analysis of Bitcoin Political analysis The political analysis involves the support of the government for a particular innovation from any regulatory authority. It is the political environment that formulation of policies and regulations that provide a favorable environment for good performance. The political environment encourages the operation of Bitcoin and other firms in the industry. However, regulations are continuously increasing their war on cybercrime, and thus threaten the operations of the business in the monetary industry. Economics Economic analysis entails on the benefits that innovation has in generating monetary gains. It is fundamental to note that the business environment entirely depends on the economic atmosphere in the country. The U.S economy and the global economy, in general, seem to be recovering and is, therefore, a good indicator for the Bitcoin with the heightened levels of economic activities. Social analysis An analysis of the social, cultural aspects entails the implications that a project will have on the society. Technological frameworks refer to the mechanisms that have been employed in incubating an idea. Legality here refers to the support that a government awards to a project and the compliance with the environment and also sustainability. Technological Analysis A huge problem lies ahead over the implications that the technology has on a monetary system with regards to transactions conducted over the internet. The internet is thus a subject of concern for the firms that pave the way for such transactions taking place. Legal analysis The environmental forces at play may be overwhelming due to the sophisticated nature of the industry. The hurdle is separating the fundamental factors from the less important ones. Elements that seem to relate to each other seem to pose greater implications. Based on the analysis, many opportunities lay ahead with regards to the Bitcoin money system that is the virtual fund transfer over the web. Thus accords the customers the opportunity to purchase items without using real cash. Environmental analysis Pestle analysis is used in identifying the macro-environment affecting the business and the ones that are likely to impact the business in future. 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