Life Changing Essay

In life, we all know something that has changed the way we perceive people and events. Most meaningful events that have changed our perception can be our experience that we have gone through and learned from. Life-changing experiences play an important role on our development. Whether adults or children, we are affected by our experience which could impact us immensely. Personally speaking, my previous experience have affected me significantly. One is my first job experience, the other is my first-time experience of living in a brand-new country. Firstly, my first job experience greatly affected me. I remember that I was working at a Taiwanese restaurant. It was a really busy restaurant with five to eight employees. My manager told me that being a good waiter, it is important to smile and have a good attitude. I was not doing a great job on my first day of work. I was not really happy, because I made a lot of mistake, including messing up customer’s orders, no smiling, and a bad service attitude. I was judged by my manager. However, I believed that practice would lead to improvement and I never gave up, keep learning and practicing the working skills. After that, I became a mature and efficient waiter. In addition to above experience, communication and co-operation are also what I learned on my job. For example, when I served my customers for the first time, I was too shy to talk. But the most important thing for a waiter to know about is customers’ needs and expectations. Lack of communication with customers will not achieve this. After working for one month, I learned how to communicate with my customers. Furthermore, co-operation between co-workers is also important. I learned how to work with other waitresses/waiters and understood more about teamwork. For instance, my manager would allocate the tasks to us and every waitress/waiter needs to be aware of his/her responsibilities. The most difficult moment of co-operation is during the business hours, because employees need to be more understanding of each other. Secondly, living in a new country is my other significant experience. I lived in England for two years. When I first arrived in England, I lived with a host family in Oxford. Language and unfamiliarity with the city are the biggest problems that I faced. My most unforgettable moment is my first day of going to school in Oxford. I could not speak English and I felt lost in a new area. At that moment, body language was my only tool to help me find my school. I still remember that I was thinking about taking a bus  school, but I didn’t know where the bus station was. I tried to use my body language to ask a passer-by. It was fortunate that a gentleman understood my body language and my school address. After that, he brought me to the school. My first experience in England positively affected me. Looking back, my first job experience made me grow up and come outgoing. It also taught me about work co-operation. Before my first job, I did not like talking, I was shy when I was talking to people. But now, I am never shy of talking. Moreover I can say that right now I understand more about how to co-operate with my people, because I learned on my first job. The advantage of my England’s experience is that I learned a new language, I became independent and my adaptability became stronger. Previously, I could not speak English, but now I can fundamentally communicate with people in English. Also, â€Å"living by yourself, supporting yourself, paying your bills, and having total freedom over your domain is truly life-changing. It changes your perspective on solitude — it’s nothing to be afraid of, and can be pretty great — and shows you that you are capable of managing things by yourself if the need ever arises.† ( from THOUGHT CATALOG, 7 life-changing experiences every girl deserves to have, BY SOPHIE MARTIN, Mar.11, 2014 ). I believe that when you travel to new country and live by yourself, it will definitely make you become independent. Lastly, my adaptability became stronger since I lived in England. A strong adaptability make me more easily integrate into a new environment. In conclusion, life changing experiences are really important to us. In my case, my first job experience and my first-time experience of living in a brand-new country are what led to change in my life. Co-operation skills, independence, adaptability and language skills are what I learned. Obviously, people can definitely learn something through their life experience. These experiences are our life lessons that lead to our future.

Apologia Marine Essay

1. Definitions a. Metabolism- The process by whichc a living organism takes energy from its surroundings and uses it to sustain itself, develop and grow. b. Photosynthesis-the process by which an organism uses the energy from the sun to produce its own food c. Autotrophs- organisms that are able to produce their own food d. Heterotrophs- organisms that cannot make their own food and must obtain it from other organisms e. respiration — the process by which food is converted into usable energy for life functions f. homeostasis — the tendency of living organisms to control or regulate changes in their internal environment g. diffusion — the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration h. osmosis — the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane i. osmoconformer — and organisms that allows its internal concentration of salts to change in order to match the external concentration of salts in the surrounding water j. Osmo regulator — an organism that regulates its internal concentration of salts k. Poikilotherm- an organism whose body temperature changes with its surrounding environment l. ectotherm — an organism whose body temperature is controlled by its surrounding environment m. homeotherm- an animal that maintains a controlled internal body temperature using its own heating and cooling of mechanisms n. Endotherm- an animal whose internal body temperature is a result of internal sources of heat o. a sexual reproduction — reproduction accomplished by a single organism p. sexual reproduction — reproduction that involves the union of gametes from two organisms: a male and a female q. binomial nomenclature — identifying an organism by a genus and species name 2. carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids 3. oxygen levels would be lower at night than during the day 4. no, they must feed on extra material made by photos synthesizing plants 5. no, both groups containing organisms like that 6. population 7. water will travel through osmosis to the outside 8. the body fluids would change. There would be more concentration of  dissolved substances in the body 9. no. They could have warm blood if their environment is warm 10. yes 11. no 12. the plant from the cutting 13. the cell with 24 chromosomes 14. the cell with 12 chromosomes 15. yes

Exploratory Papre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exploratory Papre - Essay Example nature of the human body, which is good and beneficial but if this state is increased than the usual level, it may cause physical and psychological severe symptoms. Stress is one of the ways that human body defends itself through it. Recently, stress occupies a prominent place on the top list of both physical and psychological illness. In fact, the impact of stress exceeding the physical and psychological said, it affects the individuals’ work and their life. As we know teachers are significant and effective component of school structure. Teaching is a great and honorable profession. Teachers suffering from stress have a negative impact that is different from the other members of the community experiencing stress in their work or life (Drury, 2013). According to The American Institute of Stress, stress is â€Å"a feeling or condition experienced when, a person notices that demands surpass the social personal resources the individual is capable of mobilizing.† Why is teachers’ stress different from other people’ stress? Let’s face it; Teaching is a tough profession. Regardless of being on their feet all day trying to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of 20 or more students and dealing with endless stacks of paperwork that they often take with them home. Teachers face professional development courses, observations/evaluations, a new and hopefully improved curriculum, parent-teacher communications, after-school activities etc. Not only do teachers deal with students every day, but they deal with different type of people with various personalities, such as principals of the educational field at the state and school level and parents. Students of today are the future of tomorrow in the nation. To establish students with a strong base, we need teachers who are able to endure the stress and the difficulties of teaching profession. The great and hard work that teachers do leads to a bigger, better, and brighter future. â€Å"It is supposed to be hard.

A hypothetical disaster scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A hypothetical disaster scenario - Essay Example However, there is no difference between this earthquake and the California earthquake. Data needs to be collected on the extension of the effects of the earthquake. The earthquake might have triggered other earthquakes or even tsunamis. Facts deploy that the crustal plates that compose the surface of the planet are seen moving all the time. They are identified moving at a rate that is equal to the development of fingernails. They are ought to be moving away from each other. This then leads to the oozing of the magma up which forms a new crust. Therefore, they may slide past each other or even towards each other which makes the current crust to be destructed. The main thing that may make them stick together thus forcing a deformation when they continue their movement is through friction. The faults are subjected to breakage where seismic waves are when friction is by deformation. However, the divergent boundaries may occur at the mid-ocean ridges or even in the rift zones. This is where the new crust if formed. These regions are subjected to earthquakes of which they are not that hazardous in the part because they appear to be small and happen to be far away from people. During the time when the plates are moving apart, the transform boundaries are the motion of strike slip of the San Andreas Fault. The earthquakes happening in these regions happen to be shallow and thus they produce moderate magnitude earthquakes. The convergent boundaries occur when there is a collision of the plates. If the plates are both continental plates, huge mountain ranges created by the crust that crumbles out in the process of formation just like the Himalayas. If the movement happens to be in between the continent and the ocean, the oceanic plate which is of high density, is sub ducted in the floating continental plate which happens to be of low density. The regions where subduction takes place are always terrifying thus they occur infrequently in that the locals

How the Railway Labor Act Affected Bargaining in the Aviation Industry Essay

How the Railway Labor Act Affected Bargaining in the Aviation Industry - Essay Example ("United Airlines CEO," 2000) In the airline industry, bargaining is administered by the National Mediation Board (NMB) under the RLA. In the last half century the RLA, as applies to the airline industry, has resulted in strikes in less than 3 percent of all cases. In spite of this, most airline management views the process required by the RLA as antiquated and broken ("Ex-Gov. Goldschmidt," 2003) The railway labor act of 1926 was the first major labor legislation passed by the U.S. Congress. Instead of forming rules that applied to the whole of U.S. Industry, it targeted the railroad business, then the most important part of the transportation business in U.S. ("Bargaining Under the Railway Labor Act"). The act's purpose was essentially to replace strikes with bargaining, arbitration, and mediation as a way to resolve labor disputes. The act also disallowed employers from forcing workers to bargain through company-dominated unions. ("Collective Bargaining") There are two ways in which the RLA delays or eliminates strikes altogether: the act prolongs the process of collective bargaining; as the act requires that the parties have been released by the NMB 30 days before a strike can take place, where the date of release is the sole discretion of the NMB. ("Collective Bargaining") Second, the RLA requires mandatory arbi... ("Collective Bargaining") Both labor unions and employers benefited from the RLA. Workers, who wanted to have the opportunity to organize themselves and to obtain the proper attention from employers to negotiate new agreements and enforce existing ones, got what they wanted. So did the railroad companies. The Congress had decided that commerce had to be kept moving in the interest of the public, and thus mandated that workers, in spite of any disputes, must "work now" and "grieve later." Thus employers won the right to keep business going in spite of ongoing labor disputes. ("Railway Labor Act," 2005) There are some exceptions to the "work now, grieve later" rule, however. Workers are allowed to refuse to work when they have a reasonable belief that the work is unsafe, and when work being asked for is in clear violation of the contract. However, if the company can make a "reasonable" claim that the contract justifies the work being requested, then the employee is expected to work, and report any grievances later. ("Bargaining Under the Railway Labor Act") Under the RLA, the first step in contract negotiations are "direct negotiations," which are negotiations without the mediation of the NMB. Agreements also do not have inherent expiration dates under the RLA-expiration dates must be set within the agreement itself. Hence the agreement remains enforceable, and is the status quo, until any change is agreed upon by both parties. ("Bargaining Under the Railway Labor Act") The RLA allows strikes over major disputes (or disputes that concern the creation or modification of the collective bargaining agreement) only if all of the RLA's negotiation

Business and sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business and sustainability - Essay Example However, the introduction of the approach that â€Å"cleantech† offers is something of a different entity entirely. As such, cleantech necessarily refers to the way in which technology can be utilized both as a means of providing a diminished negative impact upon the environment as well as providing a superior level of performance at lower cost. In such a way, cleantech is able to not only benefit the interests of the natural environment but also benefit the interests of stakeholders within the firm that seek to maximize revenue by increasing efficiency and productivity. In such a way, the utilization of cleantech comes to be something of a win – win situation. Whereas it is oftentimes seen that businesses and industry can only maximize profits through increasing production, cleantech necessarily promotes the understanding that changes in technology necessarily promote increase in efficiency that has a positive impact upon overall profits as well as a diminished negativ e impact that the process of production might necessarily engaged the environment. As a function of understanding and describing cleantech to a more full and complete degree, the following analysis will be concentric upon the means by which cleantech is ultimately the definition of a sustainable business. Before delving directly and answering whether cleantech is or is not the hallmark of sustainability, it must be necessary to understand the cleantech, and the application thereof, necessitates that the industry/firm in question be perennially aware and cognizant of whatever changes might be taking place within the technological environment. The reason that this awareness is so necessary is due to the fact that the firm will not be able to integrate with these technological changes and thereby enhance their overall efficiency unless they are continually seeking means by which the process in which they engage can be streamlined. Although cleantech represents an important progression with regards to the way in which business/industry seeks to integrate both with the needs to generate income and the needs to preserve the environment, it would not be fair to say that sustainable business is all about cleantech. The reason for this is due to the fact that sustainability and business cannot and should not be defined based upon cleantech alone. In such a way, cleantech should be viewed as a process and means whereby a firm/industry can seek to benefit itself with the tangential benefit of benefitting the environment. Although this is a net positive for all players involved, it nonetheless does not have sustainability as its primary mission or goal. Instead, it merely allows for the ancillary benefit of environmental consciousness. An obvious example of the way in which cleantech works in order to benefit both the company and the environment would necessarily be the utilization of a better and more efficient process of production than had previously been employed. Mor eover, the process itself is not the sole contingent category; instead, the actual inputs to the process or the building or facility within which the product is created can also include components of cleantech. In short, cleanteach is not restricted to a simplistic understanding of the components of any particular project. As such, the range and scope of materials and processes which it includes is so broad as

Detailed Analysis of Common Law Cases Assignment

Detailed Analysis of Common Law Cases - Assignment Example Boots Cash Chemists (Southern) Ltd. [1953] 1 QB 401. In this case, the court held that a seller of pharmaceuticals in a shop is not making a valid offer to the customers of these pharmaceuticals, and that, when a customer picks up a pharmaceutical and brings it to the counter, that customer is not making an acceptance. Fisher v. Bell [1961] 1 QB 394 further states that a shopkeeper offering an item for sale is not making a valid offer, but, rather, when the customer presents the item to the cashier, the customer is the one making the offer to buy. The acceptance, in this case, is the act of the cashier taking the customers money. Partridge v. Crittenden [1968] 1 WLR 1204 further provides credence for this view, as, in the Partridge case, the offer of birds for sale was not a valid offer, in part because the storekeeper might be contractually bound to sell items that he might not actually own. This line of cases establishes that Doris did not make a valid offer (rdi.co.uk.com). She put a vase in the window of her shop with a sign stating that the vase was on offer for  £500. Unless she was making a different kind of advertisement where she offered to pay somebody money in exchange for something else, as was the case in Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. [1893] 1 QB 256, the seemingly only exception to the rule that advertisements are not considered offers, then Doris cannot be said to have made a valid offer. Even if Doris was held to have made a valid offer, then Frank cannot be held to have made a valid acceptance, as he offered  £400 for it. He was thus making a counteroffer, because of the â€Å"mirror image rule,† which states that an unequivocal acceptance must mirror the offer exactly, and any deviation made by the offeree to the offeror is a counteroffer (rdi.co.uk.com; Restatement 2d Contracts  §59a).

Policy Making in the Federal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Policy Making in the Federal System - Essay Example Most people in America agree that there is no better healthcare program in the country. However, even the few reforms that are made in the federal government receive much criticism from many. It is evident that a good number of people do not have health insurance policies but the few who have are ever complaining of higher premiums and plans that may hinder them from getting maximum service (Williams, McClellan & Rivlin, 2010). Healthcare has had skyrocketing nature that is believed to outpace even people’s income and inflation yet the quality has continued to be poor. The Affordable Care Act was therefore prompted by the need to extend the insurance coverage t the larger uninsured population and improve the quality of healthcare as well as ensuring affordability in accessing healthcare facilities. The policy intended to address all the challenges facing the health system in the country such as lowering and controlling the ever rising cost of health care (Harrington, 2010). The policy requires that no American should be denied medical insurance cover regardless of the preexisting conditions. Medical history of an individual can no longer deny the person from obtaining medical insurance and therefore would be able to acquire the coverage with no regard to health underwriting. The policy also intends to increase the coverage for uninsured individuals who are almost 3 million Americans. Some of these people will include the 3.1 million aged between 19 and 25 but still in their parents’ plans since they cannot afford the cost of insurance. Whoever cannot afford to pay health insurance are catered for by the federal government through the states which will be required to add this category into their Medicaid program (Harrington, 2010). It is also apparent that this program will reduce the cost of healthcare because a larger

SOCIETY & EDUCATION IN JAPAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

SOCIETY & EDUCATION IN JAPAN - Essay Example Additionally, the Japanese education institutions were widely diffused. For instance, the samurai class of warriors was strictly an institution meant for public education whereby classic Chinese literatures were taught. On the other hand, the private academies, referred to as Shijuku, were equivalent to high schools which were open to serve all the social classes. Practical skills, writing and reading were taught in Terakoya; the most popular learning institutions (Dore, 160). Due to the feudal system, formation of national consciousness was held back. Thus, amidst the crisis due to external pressure towards the end of Edo period, awareness of national unity and consciousness was likely to be formed through the modern system education (Rubinger, 11). During the process of adopting modernization in the country, which was in the mid nineteenth century, there was formation of a consensus whose aim was to get rid of the traditional systems of education that supported the split of social classes and create equal education opportunities to every individual across the nation. Furthermore, towards the end of Edo period, this new education system gave room for recruitment of individuals on the basis of their level of knowledge and their abilities. Moreover, the elite individual of the society were singled out in terms of their academic performances. By so doing, the initial condition for employment was decided as per a person’s academic credentials and soci al status. In the year 1868, there was a political revolution that marked the collapse of Tokugawa shogunate and the rise of a new government system where the Emperor was the head. This revolution (Meiji Restoration) can be deemed as the beginning of modernization in Japan. Initially, under Tokugawa, the country faced a lot of pressure from the western countries which demanded it to open up to external linkages.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Essay Example for Free

Jehovah’s Witnesses Essay They do this because they consider it an honor to spread the word of god. Their religious practices are generally similar to others they worship God, pray to him, and think that all things good come from him. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe God can not lie therefore what the bible says will come true and earth will someday be cleansed of all the â€Å"wickedness†. In addition, most religions do some kind of baptizing when a child is young however, Jehovah’s Witnesses only baptise those who want to serve as a Jehovah’s Witness. * * Jehovah’s Witnesses have contributed to American Culture in many ways. For instance, they help with education, disaster relief, and parenting. They contribute in many ways and are modest about the history in the making. Jahovah’s Witnesses set out to help people become law abiding citizens that do right by God. They have also won many court battles about religious freedom issues. Other groups that do not have the same beliefs have discriminated against Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses have been treated poorly or even been victims of violent crimes. Jehovah’s Witnesses have been shunned in many different areas of the world. For instance; in France (2006) the government branded them as dangerous and 71 kingdom halls were burned, firebombed, shot at, and vandalized. In India (2006) door to door Jehovah’s Witnesses were attacked and beaten with fence posts. The Jehovah’s Witnesses were charged with inciting the violence. The sources of this discrimination and prejudice came from governments as well as general population. What I have learned about this religion helps me understand it just as well as I understand any religion. Jahovah’s Witnesses are fighting for what they believe in just as many of us are. They are no different accept their beliefs differ from others. Jahovah’s Witnesses deserve to believe what they want to believe in. Everyone needs to believe in something and they should not be treated differently because the way they practice is not the same as everyone else. Racial/ethnic group: Hispanic and Latino * * Hispanic and Latino culture is different in many ways. Some of these differences include skin color, language, and physical features. Many Hispanic and Latinos speak Spanish and their second language is English. Their culture is defferent in the sense that they try to avoid standing out in their own groups. In addition, Hispanic and Latino children are raised to have a deep connection with family. This group many times has a strong bond with all family including Aunts Uncles, and Grandparents, many times these family members live in the same household or near by. * * Hispanic and Latinos have been treated poorly similar to any other racial group. The efforts to increase border patrol on the Mexican American border have done nothing but increase prejudice and discrimination against Hispanic and Latino people. There have even been reports that women and children are treated poorly as well. Here in Tucson Az. for instance we hear many reports about the border patrol having to work over time to keep them out. Someday I feel it will all come crashing down and anyone who tried to keep them out will have to pay for that in some way shape or form. Hispanics and Latinos should not be told they can not come to the US. Many of them say that the US has better opportunitys and that is why they want to be here. If we can help other countrys organize then why not Mexico as well. Hispanic and Latinos have highly influenced American culture. First and foremost the food thay they showed us is popular all over the world. Tortillas, burritos, chimichangas, and many other dishes that are simply delicious. In addition, the music they have introduced us to has definitely spiced things up in many clubs all over the U. S. Also many students are now required to complete spanish as a second language in school, which at first may have been frowned upon but now is embraced by most parents and students. Some discrimination that Hispanic and Latinos deal with still today is the difficulty to get good paying jobs. Because many of them do not speak english well and have little to no education the jobs they get are in most cases low wage high labor jobs. The sources of this prejudice and discrimination is employers as well as general population. Hispanics and Latinos are looked upon as different especially if they were not born in the US. In addition, in many films Hispanics are often prtrayed as lazy, hyper-sexual, or violent which is simply untrue and not very different from any other ethnic group. What I have learned about this racial and ethnic group does help me understand it. I have never understood why so many of them live under the same roof and now I understand it is because their family is close. In addition, now I know that it is the lack of education the prevents them from getting higher paying jobs and maybe not so much that they are different. The prejedice between my selected racial and ethnic group is similar because it is all in the same category. Prejedice and discrimination is all a way of making a person or a group feel inadequate and that they do not belong. Regardless of the way Jahovah’s wittnesses were beaten and harrassed or the way the Hispanic and Latinos have been cast out and told they are not welcome in the US it is all wrong and should not be tolerated. In conclusion, discrimination comes in all shapes and sizes and can happen to anyone. Jahovah’s Witnesses References: Reference: http://www. jw. org/en/publications/magazines/g201008/what-do-jehovahs-witnesses-believe/ Reference: http://www. knocking. org/ReligiousPersecutionReport. html Reference: http://www. jw-media. org/aboutjw/article44. htm Reference: http://wiki. answers. com/Q/How_have_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses_contributed_to_American_culture Hispanic and Latino Reference: Reference: http://www. coedu. usf. edu/zalaquett/hoy/culture. html Reference:

What Problems Face Historians History Essay

What Problems Face Historians History Essay History may be the past but the reflections on that past and the different mediums that inform and shape us about the past must be examined for their veracity and usefulness. These documents and sources present the historian with many problems as they are often used as a cumulative examination of a period under study. Yet what are the difficulties that are inherent in these sources and testimonies. Both primary and secondary sources contain pitfalls that can trap and blind the historian in his pursuit of historical accuracy. The veracity of the particular source, the motives behind the source and the origins of the evidence are all concerns for the historian. In conjunction with these problems can be the temptation to subsume personal and contemporary reports and evidence for the purposes of a grander and more wide-ranging historical narrative. Hew Strachan believes that hindsight can disfigure and reduce the essence of history. Hindsight refers to the ability to understand an event or situation only after it has happened  [i]  1and Strachan believes that this can imbue the historian with an arrogant view of those who did not see the bigger picture or understand the deeper motives behind historical events. Does this have some truth and if so can it distort history to such a degree that it almost erases the individual struggle or achievement? Or does this problem exist merely within a wider spectrum of historical concerns? History must be about balance so is a merging of both the personal and the panoramic possible? Strachan writes that hindsight distorts history through fostering arrogance. In his book The First World War he talks of the fact that just because other ideas and ideologies seem foreign to us, this does not deny their charge for those who went to war in 1914  [ii]  so therefore this muting of the past does not push us to understand it merely obfuscates the truth. Yet what is history, but an attempt to see the grander picture and how ideas fit into individual histories and testimonies. The primary sources that are around for historical examination bring with them not just their face value but an attempt to recreate the conceits and facets behind them. In 1946 Ellen Hammer wrote in an article on Americas relations with the Vichy government that throughout the war information filtered into neutral capitals but only on the spot sources could report with any authority  [iii]  , but just how problematic are these on the spot accounts? It is certainly true that primary sources retain an immediacy and relevance that is difficult to ignore. It is through letters, diaries and newspapers that we have built up much of our knowledge of the First World War. Without these sources we would be dependent on fractious second-hand testimony or oral traditions resplendent with hyperbole. For the historian it is necessary to look at the facts behind the facts. The researcher must certainly avail himself of hindsight and retrospection but must not allow themselves to become victims of them. Isaac Deutscher wrote that the historian deals with fixed and irreversible patterns of events; all weapons have already been fired  [iv]  and as the historical inquiry gathers pace the historian is aware that he is surveying a spent battlefield but how accurate are the bullets he has examined? There is perhaps nothing more alive in the consciousness of Europe than the concerted attempt to exterminate European Jewry by the Nazis during the Second World War. According to Gilbert in his study of the subject merely to give witness by ones own testimony was, in the end, to contribute to a moral victory. Simply to survive was a victory  [v]  and it is a testament to the human condition that so many survived. These terrible events have continued to be explored in witness accounts and literature and another event that has been extensively written about has been the Great or First World War. The last remaining survivor of that conflagration recently passed away so now that the survivors have died out and can no longer contribute to their own victories, will future generations have their knowledge shaped by hindsight and retrospection when it comes to those times? It is important to note that both hindsight and retrospection can give us many valuable lessons on historical experience. Dr Johnson wrote that when a design has ended in marriage or success, when every eye and every ear is witness to general discontent or general satisfaction, it is then a proper time to disentangle confusion and illustrate obscurity  [vi]  2and it is within this statement that a major part of the rationale behind history can be identified. Although the canvas of history is vast, the minutiae helps build up the overall picture and hence hindsight aids that process as well as retrospection. There are certain elements in any event that are not known and cannot possibly be known at the time of the event. At the end of the Great War who could have known that the aftermath would provide the bedrock for the Soviet Union and force a reluctant United States onto the world stage  [vii]  but these were the consequences of that conflict, although not recognized in thei r scope at the time. The problem that the historian faces is that this knowledge can give special onus to events that had none and rob other events of their posterity. However, how can we disentangle and illustrate without letting individual values and beliefs, perhaps vastly removed from those we are studying, intrude on the historians research? This is what Strachan talks of when he mentions the disadvantages of hindsight. Kenneth Baker writes that memory plays tricks with the past, events are sometimes remembered only in part  [viii]  3and in todays contemporary media saturated society, it may seem strange to consider just how diverse and varied accounts of the past were. Yet this removal from the events that unfolded can give us, real and imagined distance, between the understanding and interpretation. The two biggest conflagrations of the twentieth century, both World Wars, are probably two of the most written about subjects in history. Their respective arcs spanned the globe and brought devastation and change to many aspects of peoples lives. However, their documenting and recording throw up countless testimonies and accounts of those times which are not always possible to examine with straight forward simplicity. One of the first problems that the historian is presented with is the sheer dearth of material that is available. Fest writes that once in a while it is necessary for the chronicler to put aside his magnifying glass. For the way things fit together has a significance of its own and can give us information that no mere examination of details can  [ix]  but this chronicle involves thousands upon thousands of minute details that are its integral parts. The motivations and recollections of those at the time as well as their possessions and other sources can easily be brushed aside as hindsight condemns them to the undergrowth of history. After Austria-Hungarys declaration of war on Serbia, accounts have been written of the jubilation that greeted the announcement. The joy and euphoria may have been real but despite the later disillusionment with the war, this does not mean we can learn nothing from that day. These testimonies are still valid and tell us more about attitudes to war th an about the war itself. The temptation for the historian is to conclude that the destruction of WW1 shows how the enthusiasm evaporated but up until the very end, there were those who embraced the war. Adolf Hitler, then an obscure corporal speaks of the war years as the greatest and most unforgettable time of my earthly existence  [x]  but despite what we know about Hitlers later life and his absent moral compass, this testimony is still relevant because of its immediacy. The combination of personal and professional in the recollections and remembrances of participants can add interesting texture and nuance to historical investigation. Strachan writes in his book on the Great War about Conrad Von Hotzendorff, the Austrian Chief of the General Staff and of how Hotzendorff was in love with a married woman. Hotzendorff saw a triumphant return from the battlefield as an integral part of gaining acceptability for this relationship and Strachan writes that Conrads response to Franz Ferdinands assassination was more visceral than rational  [xi]  . This highlights an important problem when dealing with sources. The actions and motivations of participants can seem indicative of one course of action but this motivation can contain a number of individual facets and aims. As well as the difficulty of gleaning motive, testimonies and documents of the period can fall victim to retrospective thinking. The particular feelings and emotions of a person can undergo transformation as time flows and if that particular person is not around at that moment, then the historians interpretation could be colored by emotions that only resurfaced at a present time. The human condition is so multi-faceted that it constantly fluctuates and seeks to change into a particular set of perceptions that are prevalent at the time. The actions and thoughts of individuals also present problems when constructing historical timelines as they are often belied by diplomatic effort and political reflection. Strachan again writes of the events leading up to the Great War that the experience of earlier crises had conditioned statesman to put events in the broader context of European international relations  [xii]  and this goes in tandem with subjective testimonies related by individuals or groups. Richard J Evans argues that the historians questions should be formulated not by some present theory but from the historical sources themselves  [xiii]  which leads to the observation that whose history is being recorded? The emphasis on high politics and political history has a tendency to negate the other factors that can determine events. In the case of primary sources, the testimonies of survivors can be brushed off as subjective ruminations that incorporate too much personal experience. It is the major players in the games of politics and power, the elite, which therefore can and must be relied on because they are the ones who were in the driving seat. This rationale takes on the very characteristics of the people it reveres as it reduces history to an elite club of statesmen and hierarchies whose actions were the engine in world history. Yet a solitary emphasis on the actions of the people or social history can be just as exclusivist. Much of the writing on the First World War concerns the massive loss of life during the military campaigns of The Somme and Ypres and in this sense it can give a picture of an event being merely the sum of its battles and military maneuvers. Yet Strachan writes of the Home Front that at the end of 1917, the British people were desperately tired  [xiv]  and Gilbert observes all over Europe, and in every country that had sent men to fight in Europe, the memorials to those who had been killed were being designed and put in place  [xv]  so any reliance on one type of source of history can in Johnsons words obfuscate and hide the greater picture. The reason for statements and articulations also have to be taken into account when considering historical evidence and never more so than when considered in a war situation. The Great War threw up some such examples of this practice. It is natural in wartime to seek to demonstrate how much of a threat the enemy is. Strachan uses this example in his book citing the Governor of Bosnia in 1914 as saying of the Serbs that towards such a population all humanity and all kindness are out of place  [xvi]  and this can be contrasted with Hitlers utterances to his Generals during the Second World War regarding the Russians and Jews. Propaganda and the uses that particular pieces of testimony were created for can create an obstacle in tackling historical sources. Stanley Weintraub writes in his book Silent Night, which deals with the Christmas truce of 1914 that for rival governments, for which war was politics conducted by persuasive force, it was imperative to make even temporary peace unappealing and workable  [xvii]  which for todays Western governments seems even more callous than war itself. Politicians of all persuasions unite to cite how this episode was a call to arms for us all and how in the madness of war, sanity was temporarily regained. This is in itself an example of both hindsight and retrospection. The ideals that were being fought for during that war were those of liberalism against force, freedom versus tyranny and since those ideas have been won for a majority of the world, it is seen as an episode of hope amidst war. This may be true but it was these exact governments that frowned upon this truce at the time and now in retrospect see its benefits. Thus, in some measure history can be distorted. Weintraub goes on to write that this impromptu truce seemed dangerously akin to the populist politics of the streets, the spontaneous movements that topple tyrants and autocrats  [xviii]  and one does not need to go far to see just how Strachan might be right in writing of hindsight as arrogance. The not too distant past saw a sitting government ignore the protests and cries of its people during the recent Iraq debacle. Once again it seems that the lessons of history are that those in power know best. It is important to remember that much of the sources that we have from the end of World War One were from captured documents but most importantly from the views of the Allies themselves, the victors. In such an environment it is possible for particular viewpoints to emerge that reinforce such origins. Wohlsetter writes that after the crisis, memories fade and recriminations take their place  [xix]  and this underscores much of what we know of our own history. The aftermath of both wars saw the division of Europe into different spheres of interest and thus once again the victors to an extent dictated the course of history. This use of sources could take place within the sphere of Eurocentrism. Nordenbo describes this as an historical point of view which perceives modernity, first and foremost as a unique modern European invention  [xx]  , a construct which sees the West as the leader in civilization and invention and the rest of the world as a kind of other. This Europe appears to non-Europeans as a land of milk and honey, a promised land and certainly contains the seeds of a European hegemonic system. Edward Said writes in his thesis Orientalism about the construction of this other. It is contained in Marxs maxim that they cannot represent themselves, so they must be represented and Said argues that to the West, the Orient is an other-worldly realm peopled by exotic, hedonistic infidels  [xxi]  and though dealing with the Orient this can be transposed to the examination of sources. It is possible because of the difficulty of obtaining documents in many places to merely stereotype and generalize using Western maxims and rationales. The problems of translation from other languages can also impede investigation and again ties in with this idea of Eurocentrism, that English lexicons and idioms are the natural record of history. To maintain this thought system is to deliver an irrevocable blow to the historical mindset. Hindsight also relies on the process of causation. This links a series of causes and sketches a rough timeline between events. This can blur the line between reality and impression. It is sometimes asserted that the Treaty of Versailles and its perceived harshness was instrumental in causing the Second World War. This was not the only factor and its overall impact can be negated. Several other factors must be considered, such as Hitlers own personal bent and drive, the expansionist drive of the German military and political elite and the notion of a Messianic savior, a Strong Man, destined to lead Germany to greatness. It is possible to agree with Strachan that hindsight does breed arrogance. The ideas and realities of contemporary life are quite removed from the realities of yesteryear. It is the job of the historian to make sense of these past times and draw conclusions and lessons from them. This can be problematic as the sources are as rich and varied as the events that shaped them. There is arrogance in history, people find it hard to laud and identify people who gave themselves for ideals and causes, and hence label them with contemporary judgments However just as hindsight does not give us the complete picture, so not all historical investigation is tainted by this thinking. The problems and difficulties of looking at sources are myriad and sometimes frustrating but only through careful sifting and collaboration of method can we attain that knowledge of the past that so informs the historians rumination on the present.