Police Technology - Forensic Science History

Forensic science is a scientific method of gathering and examining the evidence. Crimes are solved with the use of pathological examinations that gather fingerprints, palm prints, footprints, tooth bite prints, blood, hair and fiber samples. Handwriting and typewriting samples are studied, including all ink, paper, and typography. Ballistics techniques are used to identify weapons, as well as voice identification techniques, are used to identify criminals. History of Forensic Science The first recorded application of medical knowledge to the solution of crime was in the 1248 Chinese book Hsi DuanYu or the Washing Away of Wrongs, and it described ways to distinguish between death by drowning or death by strangulation. Italian doctor, Fortunatus Fidelis is recognized as being the first person to practice modern forensic medicine, beginning in 1598. Forensic medicine is the application of medical knowledge to legal questions. It became a recognized branch of medicine in the early 19th century. The  Lie Detector An earlier and less successful lie detector or polygraph machine was invented by James Mackenzie in 1902. However, the modern polygraph machine was invented by John Larson in 1921. John Larson, a University of California medical student, invented the modern lie detector (polygraph) in 1921. Used in police interrogation and investigation since 1924, the lie detector is still controversial among psychologists and is not always judicially acceptable. The name polygraph comes from the fact that the machine records several different body responses simultaneously as the individual is questioned. The theory is that when a person lies, the lying causes a certain amount of stress that produces changes in several involuntary physiological reactions. A series of different sensors are attached to the body, and as the polygraph measures changes in breathing, blood pressure, pulse and perspiration, pens record the data on graph paper. During a lie detector test, the operator asks a series of control questions that set the pattern of how an individual responds when giving true and false answers. Then the actual questions are asked, mixed in with filler questions. The examination lasts about 2 hours, after which the expert interprets the data. Fingerprinting In the 19th century, it was observed that contact between someones hands and a surface left barely visible and marks called fingerprints. Fine powder (dusting) was used to make the marks more visible. Modern fingerprint identification dates from 1880 when the British scientific journal Nature published letters by the Englishmen Henry Faulds and William James Herschel describing the uniqueness and permanence of fingerprints. Their observations were verified by the English scientist Sir Francis Galton, who designed the first elementary system for classifying fingerprints based on grouping the patterns into arches, loops, and whorls. Galtons system was improved upon by London police commissioner, Sir Edward R. Henry. The Galton-Henry system of fingerprint classification was published in June 1900, and officially introduced at Scotland Yard in 1901. It is the most widely used method of fingerprinting to date. Police Cars In 1899, the first police car was used in Akron, Ohio. Police cars became the basis of police transportation in the 20th century. Timeline 1850s The first multi-shot pistol, introduced by Samuel Colt, goes into mass production. The weapon is adopted by the Texas Rangers and, thereafter, by police departments nationwide. 1854 to 59 San Francisco is the site of one of the earliest uses of systematic photography for criminal identification. 1862 On June 17, 1862, inventor W. V. Adams patented handcuffs that used adjustable ratchets - the first modern handcuffs. 1877 The use of the telegraph by fire and police departments begins in Albany, New York in 1877. 1878 The telephone comes into use in police precinct houses in Washington, D.C. 1888 Chicago is the first U.S. city to adopt the Bertillon system of identification. Alphonse Bertillon, a French criminologist, applies techniques of human body measurement used in anthropological classification to the identification of criminals. His system remains in vogue in North America and Europe until it is replaced at the turn of the century by the fingerprint method of identification. 1901 Scotland Yard adopts a fingerprint classification system devised by Sir Edward Richard Henry. Subsequent fingerprint classification systems are generally extensions of Henrys system. 1910 Edmund Locard establishes the first police department crime laboratory in Lyon, France. 1923 The Los Angeles Police Department establishes the first police department crime laboratory in the United States. 1923 The use of the teletype is inaugurated by the Pennsylvania State Police. 1928 Detroit police begin using the one-way radio. 1934 Boston Police begin using the two-way radio. 1930s American police begin the widespread use of the automobile. 1930 The prototype of the present-day polygraph is developed for use in police stations. 1932 The FBI inaugurates its crime laboratory which, over the years, comes to be world-renowned. 1948 Radar is introduced to traffic law enforcement. 1948 The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) meets for the first time. 1955 The New Orleans Police Department installs an electronic data processing machine, possibly the first department in the country to do so. The machine is not a computer, but a vacuum-tube operated calculator with a punch-card sorter and collator. It summarizes arrests and warrants. 1958 A former marine invents the side-handle baton, a baton with a handle attached at a 90-degree angle near the gripping end. Its versatility and effectiveness eventually make the side-handle baton standard issue in many U.S. police agencies. Introduction: What is Forensic Science History?Polygraph MachinesOther Equipment: Fingerprinting, Police CarsTimeline of Police Technology 1850 - 1960, 1960 - 1996

The Little-Known Secrets to Good Topics for a Comparison and Contrast Essay Should

The Little-Known Secrets to Good Topics for a Comparison and Contrast Essay Should If you are thinking about how to begin a compare and contrast essay or simply want to learn how to write one well, first you have to comprehend its objective. With FreeEssayHelp you'll find hundreds of Exemplification essay topics in a matter of many seconds. Together with the topics, you'd come across loads of papers free of charge. At exactly the same time, it would likewise help you to have a better picture of what are the arguments you had made and whether they are relevant. Another style of starting this kind of essay is to describe some event and analyze its consequences. Then, the author jots down the many causes for home robberies surrounding the most important cause. In fact, all kinds of writing have their own methods of influencing the knowledge of an individual. Choosing Good Good Topics for a Comparison and Contrast Essay Should You may require any particular sources for your c ustomized term paper. It is advised to look for the one which has a superior reputation and offers high-quality papers at very affordable rates. It's fine to get creative. A prosperous process essay is going to be detailed enough so a reader will have all the info required to finish the job. Instead, a writer can always do a little planning so as to think of an essay. Our writers can make term papers in various language styles. Such expert writers can assist the students complete essays of any type effortlessly. If you're in need of private essay writing help, don't hesitate to request essay writing assistance at our website. Using our professional essay writing service, you obtain a range of free services including totally free revisions, absolutely free cover page and outline, completely free formatting upon request, completely free editing, and absolutely free essay shipping. In addition, a customer may ask the writer to submit part of the job for review and, if needed, ask them to make corrections. Description to write what's the internet locate a dissertation online important. The Basics of Good Topics for a Comparison and Contrast Essay Should You'll also sprinkle in some supporting arguments to cooperate with it. For instance, if you are interested in being strongly identified with the topic, then it is possible to increase the amount of your arguments about the outcomes of an active event. By comparison, a weak topic sentence will lead to an unorganized paragraph, and the rea der is going to be confused because the support or details won't be focused. If a single case in point is very vividand compelling, it can occasionally be sufficient to support a topic sentence. In the conclusion, you wish to bring a bit more information but not so much you have a completely new paragraph. The topic sentence demands that student plan what they're attempting to prove in the paragraph before the draft. The topic sentence shouldn't be too general or too specific. Placing the topic sentence at the launch of a paragraph guarantees that the reader knows precisely what information will be presented. Now you've been requested to compose an exemplification essay and you aren't certain which way to take it. At this time you're not only going to learn the fundamentals of an exemplification essay but in addition the best way to produce a terrific essay by yourself. A comparison essay is among them. Basically, an exemplification essay is a sort of argumentative essay. Now, you're assigned to compose an Exemplification Essay, and you're slightly baffled. By doing this you can secure a far better pictures of the essay which you ought to write about. Beowulf and Churchill, however, are a lot more different heroes than it may appear to be. Essay assignments are short parts of academic writing that are intended to analyze, discuss or describe 1 topic. The absolute most important feature to keep in mind when writing an expository essay is you shouldn't write about your own private opinions. Our writers are prepared to assist you with any other essay type, for example, descriptive essays. Choosing Custom Essay you could possibly be sure the most suitable writer is going to be chosen to finish your term paper.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 18 Free Essays

13 â€Å"Yes,† said Hari Seldon wearily, â€Å"it was a great triumph. I had a wonderful time. I can hardly wait until I’m seventy so I can repeat it. We will write a custom essay sample on Forward the Foundation Chapter 18 or any similar topic only for you Order Now But the fact is, I’m exhausted.† â€Å"So get yourself a good night’s sleep, Dad,† said Raych, smiling. â€Å"That’s an easy cure.† â€Å"I don’t know how well I can relax when I have to see our great leader in a few days.† â€Å"Not alone, you won’t see him,† said Dors Venabili grimly. Seldon frowned. â€Å"Don’t say that again, Dors. It is important for me to see him alone.† â€Å"It won’t be safe with you alone. Do you remember what happened ten years ago when you refused to let me come with you to greet the gardeners?† â€Å"There is no danger of my forgetting when you remind me of it twice a week, Dors. In this case, though, I intend to go alone. What can he want to do to me if I come in as an old man, utterly harmless, to find out what he wants?† â€Å"What do you imagine he wants?† said Raych, biting at his knuckle. â€Å"I suppose he wants what Cleon always wanted. It will turn out that he has found out that psychohistory can, in some way, predict the future and he will want to use it for his own purposes. I told Cleon the science wasn’t up to it nearly thirty years ago and I kept telling him that all through my tenure as First Minister-and now I’ll have to tell General Tennar the same thing.† â€Å"How do you know he’ll believe you?† said Raych. â€Å"I’ll think of some way of being convincing.† Dors said, â€Å"I do not wish you to go alone.† â€Å"Your wishing, Dors, makes no difference.† At this point, Tamwile Elar interrupted. He said, â€Å"I’m the only nonfamily person here. I don’t know if a comment from me would be welcome.† â€Å"Go ahead,† said Seldon. â€Å"Come one, come all.† â€Å"I would like to suggest a compromise. Why don’t a number of us go with the Maestro. Quite a few of us. We can act as his triumphal escort, a kind of finale to the birthday celebration. Now wait, I don’t mean that we will all crowd into the General’s offices. I don’t even mean entering the Imperial Palace grounds. We can just take hotel rooms in the Imperial Sector at the edge of the grounds-the Dome’s Edge Hotel would be just right-and we’ll give ourselves a day of pleasure.† â€Å"That’s just what I need,† snorted Seldon. â€Å"A day of pleasure.† â€Å"Not you, Maestro,† said Elar at once. â€Å"You’ll be meeting with General Tennar. The rest of us, though, will give the people of the Imperial Sector a notion of your popularity-and perhaps the General will take note also. And if he knows we’re all waiting for your return, it may keep him from being unpleasant.† There was a considerable silence after that. Finally Raych said, â€Å"It sounds too showy to me. It don’t fit in with the image the world has of Dad.† But Dors said, â€Å"I’m not interested in Hari’s image. I’m interested in Hari’s safety. It strikes me that if we cannot invade the General’s presence or the Imperial grounds, then allowing ourselves to accumulate, so to speak, as near the General as we can, might do us well. Thank you, Dr. Elar, for a very good suggestion.† â€Å"I don’t want it done,† said Seldon. â€Å"But I do,† said Dors, â€Å"and if that’s as close as I can get to offering you personal protection, then that much I will insist on.† Manella, who had listened to it all without comment till then, said, â€Å"Visiting the Dome’s Edge Hotel could be a lot of fun.† â€Å"It’s not fun I’m thinking of,† said Dors, â€Å"but I’ll accept your vote in favor.† And so it was. The following day some twenty of the higher echelon of the Psychohistory Project descended on the Dome’s Edge Hotel, with rooms overlooking the open spaces of the Imperial Palace grounds. The following evening Hari Seldon was picked up by the General’s armed guards and taken off to the meeting. At almost the same time Dors Venabili disappeared, but her absence was not noted for a long time. And when it was noted, no one could guess what had happened to her and the gaily festive mood turned rapidly into apprehension. 14 Dors Venabili had lived on the Imperial Palace grounds for ten years. As wife of the First Minister, she had entry to the grounds and could pass freely from the dome to the open, with her fingerprints as the pass. In the confusion that followed Cleon’s assassination, her pass had never been removed and now when, for the first time since that dreadful clay, she wanted to move from the dome into the open spaces of the grounds, she could do so. She had always known that she could do so easily only once, for, upon discovery, the pass would be canceled-but this was the one time to do it. There was a sudden darkening of the sky as she moved into the open and she felt a distinct lowering of the temperature. The world under the dome was always kept a little lighter during the night period than natural night would require and was kept a little dimmer during the day period. And, of course, the temperature beneath the dome was always a bit milder than the outdoors. Most Trantorians were unaware of this, for they spent their entire lives under the dome. To Dors it was expected, but it didn’t really matter. She took the central roadway, into which the dome opened at the site of the Dome’s Edge Hotel. It was, of course, brightly lit, so that the darkness of the sky didn’t matter at all. Dors knew that she would not advance a hundred meters along the roadway without being stopped, less perhaps in the present paranoid lays of the junta. Her alien presence would be detected at once. Nor was she disappointed. A small ground-car skittered up and the guardsman shouted out the window, â€Å"What are you doing here? Where are you going?† Dors ignored the question and continued to walk. The guardsman called out, â€Å"Halt!† Then he slammed on the brakes and stepped out of the car, which was exactly what Dors had wanted him to do. The guardsman was holding a blaster loosely in his hand-not threatening to use it, merely demonstrating its existence. He said, â€Å"Your reference number.† Dors said, â€Å"I want your car.† â€Å"What!† The guardsman sounded outraged. â€Å"Your reference number. Immediately!† And now the blaster came up. Dors said quietly, â€Å"You don’t need my reference number,† then she walked toward the guardsman. The guardsman took a backward step. â€Å"If you don’t stop and present your reference number, I’ll blast you.† â€Å"No! Drop your blaster.† The guardsman’s lips tightened. His finger began to edge toward the contact, but before he could reach it, he was lost. He could never describe afterward what happened in any accurate way. All he could say was â€Å"How was I to know it was The Tiger Woman?† (The time came when he would be proud of the encounter.) â€Å"She moved so fast, I didn’t see exactly what she did or what happened. One moment I was going to shoot her down-I was sure she was some sort of madwoman-and the next thing I knew, I was completely overwhelmed.† Dors held the guardsman in a firm grip, the hand with the blaster forced high. She said, â€Å"Either drop the blaster at once or I will break your arm.† The guardsman felt a kind of death grip around his chest that all but prevented him from breathing. Realizing he had no choice, he dropped the blaster. Dors Venabili released him, but before the guardsman could make a move to recover, he found himself facing his own blaster in Dors’s hand. Dors said, â€Å"I hope you’ve left your detectors in place. Don’t try to report what’s happened too quickly. You had better wait and decide what it is you plan to tell your superiors. The fact that an unarmed woman took your blaster and your car may well put an end to your usefulness to the junta.† Dors started the car and began to speed down the central roadway. A ten-year stay on the grounds told her exactly where she was going. The car she was in-an official ground-car-was not an alien intrusion into the grounds and would not be picked up as a matter of course. However, she had to take a chance on speed, for she wanted to reach her destination rapidly. She pushed the car to a speed of two hundred kilometers per hour. The speed, at least, eventually did attract attention. She ignored radioed cries, demanding to know why she was speeding, and before long the car’s detectors told her that another ground-car was in hot pursuit. She knew that there would be a warning sent up ahead and that there would be other ground-cars waiting for her to arrive, but there was little any of them could do, short of trying to blast her out of existence-something apparently no one was willing to try, pending further investigation. When she reached the building she had been heading for, two ground-cars were waiting for her. She climbed serenely out of her own car and walked toward the entrance. Two men at once stood in her way, obviously astonished that the driver of the speeding car was not a guardsman but a woman dressed in civilian clothes. â€Å"What are you doing here? What was the rush?† Dors said quietly, â€Å"Important message for Colonel Header Linn.† â€Å"Is that so?† said the guardsman harshly. There were now four men between her and the entrance. â€Å"Reference number, please.† Dors said, â€Å"Don’t delay me.† â€Å"Reference number, I said.† â€Å"You’re wasting my time.† One of the guardsmen said suddenly, â€Å"You know who she looks like? The old First Minister’s wife. Dr. Venabili. The Tiger Woman.† There was an odd backward step on the part of all four, but one of them said, â€Å"You’re under arrest.† â€Å"Am I?† said Dors. â€Å"If I’m The Tiger Woman, you must know that I am considerably stronger than any of you and that my reflexes are considerably faster. Let me suggest that all four of you accompany me quietly inside and we’ll see what Colonel Linn has to say.† â€Å"You’re under arrest† came the repetition and four blasters were aimed at Dors. â€Å"Well,† said Dors. â€Å"If you insist.† She moved rapidly and two of the guardsmen were suddenly on the ground, groaning, while Dors was standing with a blaster in each hand. She said, â€Å"I have tried not to hurt them, but it is quite possible that I have broken their wrists. That leaves two of you and I can shoot faster than you can. If either of you makes the slightest move-the slightest-I will have to break the habit of a lifetime and kill you. It will sicken me to do so and I beg you not to force me into it.† There was absolute silence from the two guardsmen still standing-no motion. â€Å"I would suggest,† said Dors, â€Å"that you two escort me into the colonel’s presence and that you then seek medical help for your comrades.† The suggestion was not necessary. Colonel Linn emerged from his office. â€Å"What is going on here? What is-â€Å" Dors turned to him. â€Å"Ah! Let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Dors Venabili, the wife of Professor Hari Seldon. I have come to see you on important business. These four tried to stop me and, as a result, two are badly hurt. Send them all about their business and let me talk to you. I mean you no harm.† Linn stared at the four guardsmen, then at Dors. He said calmly, â€Å"You mean me no harm? Though four guardsmen have not succeeded in stopping you, I have four thousand at my instant call.† â€Å"Then call them,† said Dors. â€Å"However quickly they come, it will not be in time to save you, should I decide to kill you. Dismiss your guardsmen and let us talk civilly.† Linn dismissed the guardsmen and said, â€Å"Well, come in and we will talk. Let me warn you, though, Dr. Venabili-I have a long memory.† â€Å"And I,† said Dors. They walked into Linn’s quarters together. 15 Linn said with utmost courtesy, â€Å"Tell me exactly why you are here, Dr. Venabili.† Dors smiled without menace-and yet not exactly pleasantly, either. â€Å"To begin with,† she said, â€Å"I have come here to show you that I can come here.† â€Å"Yes. My husband was taken to his interview with the General in an official ground-car under armed guard. I myself left the hotel at a the same time he did, on foot and unarmed-and here I am-and I believe I got here before he did. I had to wade through five guardsmen, including the guardsman whose car I appropriated, in order to reach you. I would have waded through fifty.† Linn nodded his head phlegmatically. â€Å"I understand that you are sometimes called The Tiger Woman.† â€Å"I have been called that. Now, having reached you, my task is to make certain that no harm comes to my husband. He is venturing into the General’s lair-if I can be dramatic about it-and I want him to emerge unharmed and unthreatened.† â€Å"As far as I am concerned, I know that no harm will come to your husband as a result of this meeting. But if you are concerned, why do you come to me? Why didn’t you go directly to the General?† â€Å"Because, of the two of you, it is you that has the brains.† There was a short pause and Linn said, â€Å"That would be a most dangerous remark-if overheard.† â€Å"More dangerous for you than for me, so make sure it is not overheard. Now, if it occurs to you that I am to be simply soothed and put off and that, if my husband is imprisoned or marked for execution, that there will really be nothing I can do about it, disabuse yourself.† She indicated the two blasters that lay on the table before her. â€Å"I entered the grounds with nothing. I arrived in your immediate vicinity with two blasters. If I had no blasters, I might have had knives, with which I am an expert. And if I had neither blasters nor knives, I would still be a formidable person. This table we’re sitting at is metal-obviously-and sturdy.† â€Å"It is.† Dors held up her hands, fingers splayed, as if to show that she held no weapon. Then she dropped them to the table and, palms down, caressed its surface. Abruptly Dors raised her fist and then brought it down on the table with a loud crash, which sounded almost as if metal were striking metal. She smiled and lifted her hand. â€Å"No bruise,† Dors said. â€Å"No pain. But you’ll notice that the table is slightly bent where I struck it. If that same blow had come down with the name force on a person’s head, the skull would have exploded. I have never done such a thing; in fact, I have never killed anyone, though I have injured several. Nevertheless, if Professor Seldon is harmed-â€Å" â€Å"You are still threatening.† â€Å"I am promising. I will do nothing if Professor Seldon is unharmed. Otherwise, Colonel Linn, I will be forced to maim or kill you and-I promise you again-I will do the same to General Tennar.† Linn said, â€Å"You cannot withstand an entire army, no matter how tigerish a woman you are. What then?† â€Å"Stories spread,† said Dors, â€Å"and are exaggerated. I have not really done much in the way of tigerishness, but many more stories are told of me than are true. Your guardsmen fell back when they recognized me and they themselves will spread the story, with advantage, of how I made my way to you. Even an army might hesitate to attack me, Colonel Linn, but even if they did and even if they destroyed me, beware the indignation of the people. The junta is maintaining order, but it is doing so only barely and you don’t want anything to upset matters. Think, then, of how easy the alternative is. Simply do not harm Professor Hari Seldon.† â€Å"We have no intention of harming him.† â€Å"Why the interview, then?† â€Å"What’s the mystery? The General is curious about psychohistory. The government records are open to us. The old Emperor Cleon was interested. Demerzel, when he was First Minister, was interested. Why should we not be in our turn? In fact, more so.† â€Å"Why more so?† â€Å"Because time has passed. As I understand it, psychohistory began as a thought in Professor Seldon’s mind. He has been working on it, with increasing vigor and with larger and larger groups of people, for nearly thirty years. He has done so almost entirely with government support, so that, in a way, his discoveries and techniques belong to the government. We intend to ask him about psychohistory, which, by now, must be far advanced beyond what existed in the times of Demerzel and Cleon, and we expect him to tell us what we want to know. We want something more practical than the vision of equations curling their way through air. Do you understand me?† â€Å"Yes,† said Dors, frowning. â€Å"And one more thing. Do not suppose that the danger to your husband comes from the government only and that any harm that reaches him will mean that you must attack us at once. I would suggest that Professor Seldon may have purely private enemies. I have no knowledge of such things, but surely it is possible.† â€Å"I shall keep that in mind. Right now, I want to have you arrange that I join my husband during his interview with the General. I want to know, beyond doubt, that he is safe.† â€Å"That will be hard to arrange and will take some time. It would be impossible to interrupt the conversation, but if you wait till it is ended-â€Å" â€Å"Take the time and arrange it. Do not count on double-crossing me and remaining alive.† 16 General Tennar stared at Hari Seldon in a rather pop-eyed manner and his fingers tapped lightly at the desk where he sat. â€Å"Thirty years,† he said. â€Å"Thirty years and you are telling me you still have nothing to show for it?† â€Å"Actually, General, twenty-eight years.† Tennar ignored that. â€Å"And all at government expense. Do you know how many billions of credits have been invested in your Project, Professor?† â€Å"I haven’t kept up, General, but we have records that could give me the answer to your question in seconds.† â€Å"And so have we. The government, Professor, is not an endless source of funds. These are not the old times. We don’t have Cleon’s old free-and-easy attitude toward finances. Raising taxes is hard and we need credits for many things. I have called you here, hoping that you can benefit us in some way with your psychohistory. If you cannot, then I must tell you, quite frankly, that we will have to shut off the faucet. If you can continue your research without government funding, do so, for unless you show me something that would make the expense worth it, you will have to do just that.† â€Å"General, you make a demand I cannot meet, but, if in response, you and government support, you will be throwing away the future. Give me wile** and eventually-â€Å" â€Å"Various governments have heard that ‘eventually’ from you for decades. Isn’t it true, Professor, that you say your psychohistory predicts that the junta is unstable, that my rule is unstable, that in a short time it will collapse?† Seldon frowned. â€Å"The technique is not yet firm enough for me to say that this is something that psychohistory states.† â€Å"I put it to you that psychohistory does state it and that this is common knowledge within your Project.† â€Å"No,† said Seldon warmly. â€Å"No such thing. It is possible that some among us have interpreted some relationships to indicate that the junta may be an unstable form of government, but there are other relationships that may easily be interpreted to show it is stable. That is the reason why we must continue our work. At the present moment it is all too easy to use incomplete data and imperfect reasoning to reach any conclusion we wish.† â€Å"But if you decide to present the conclusion that the government is unstable and say that psychohistory warrants it-even if it does not actually do so-will it not add to the instability?† â€Å"It may very well do that, General. And if we announced that the government is stable, it may well add to the stability. I have had this very same discussion with Emperor Cleon on a number of occasions. It is possible to use psychohistory as a tool to manipulate the emotions of the people and achieve short-term effects. In the long run, however, the predictions are quite likely to prove incomplete or downright erroneous and psychohistory will lose all its credibility and it will be as though it had never existed.† â€Å"Enough! Tell me straight out! What do you think psychohistory shows about my government?† â€Å"It shows, we think, that there are elements of instability in it, but we are not certain-and cannot be certain-exactly in what way this can be made worse or made better.† â€Å"In other words, psychohistory simply tells you what you would know without psychohistory and it is that in which government has invested uncounted piles of credits.† â€Å"The time will come when psychohistory will tell us what we could not know without it and then the investment will pay itself back many, many times over.† â€Å"And how long will it be before that time comes?† â€Å"Not too long, I hope. We have been making rather gratifying progress in the last few years.† Tennar was tapping his fingernail on his desk again. â€Å"Not enough. Tell me something helpful now. Something useful.† Seldon pondered, then said, â€Å"I can prepare a detailed report for you, but it will take time.† â€Å"Of course it will. Days, months, years-and somehow it will never be written. Do you take me for a fool?† â€Å"No, of course not, General. However, I don’t want to be taken for a fool, either. I can tell you something that I will take sole responsibility for. I have seen it in my psychohistorical research, but I may have misinterpreted what I saw. However, since you insist-â€Å" â€Å"I insist.† â€Å"You mentioned taxes a little while ago. You said raising taxes was difficult. Certainly. It is always difficult. Every government must do its work by collecting wealth in one form or another. The only two ways in which such credits can be obtained are, first, by robbing a neighbor, or second, persuading a government’s own citizens to grant the credits willingly and peaceably. â€Å"Since we have established a Galactic Empire that has been conducting its business in reasonable fashion for thousands of years, there is no possibility of robbing a neighbor, except as the result of an occasional rebellion and its repression. This does not happen often enough to support a government-and, if it did, the government would be too unstable to last long, in any case.† Seldon drew a deep breath and went on. â€Å"Therefore, credits must be raised by asking the citizens to hand over part of their wealth for government use. Presumably, since the government will then work efficiently, the citizens can better spend their credits in this way than to hoard it-each man to himself-while living in a dangerous and chaotic anarchy. â€Å"However, though the request is reasonable and the citizenry is better off paying taxes as their price for maintaining a stable and efficient government, they are nevertheless reluctant to do so. In order to overcome this reluctance, governments must make it appear that they are not taking too many credits, and that they are considering each citizen’s rights and benefits. In other words, they must lower the percentage taken out of low incomes; they must allow deductions of various kinds to be made before the tax is assessed, and so on. â€Å"As time goes on, the tax situation inevitably grows more and more complex as different worlds, different sectors within each world, and different economic divisions all demand and require special treatment. Me result is that the tax-collecting branch of the government grows in size and complexity and tends to become uncontrollable. The average citizen cannot understand why or how much he is being taxed; what he can get away with and what he can’t. The government and the tax agency itself are often in the dark as well. â€Å"What’s more, an ever-larger fraction of the funds collected must be put into running the overelaborate tax agency-maintaining records, pursuing tax delinquents-so the amount of credits available for good, and useful purposes declines despite anything we can do.** â€Å"In the end, the tax situation becomes overwhelming. It inspires discontent and rebellion. The history books tend to ascribe these things to greedy businessmen, to corrupt politicians, to brutal warriors, to ambitious viceroys-but these are just the individuals who take advantage of the tax overgrowth.† The General said harshly, â€Å"Are you telling me that our tax system is overcomplicated?† Seldon said, â€Å"If it were not, it would be the only one in history that wasn’t, as far as I know. If there is one thing that psychohistory tells me is inevitable, it is tax overgrowth.† â€Å"And what do we do about it?† â€Å"That I cannot tell you. It is that for which I would like to prepare a report that-as you say-may take a while to get ready.† â€Å"Never mind the report. The tax system is overcomplicated, isn’t it? Isn’t that what you are saying?† â€Å"It is possible that it is,† said Seldon cautiously. â€Å"And to correct that, one must make the tax system simpler-as simple as possible, in fact.† â€Å"I would have to study-â€Å" â€Å"Nonsense. The opposite of great complication is great simplicity. I don’t need a report to tell me that.† â€Å"As you say, General,† said Seldon. At this point the General looked up suddenly, as though he had been called-as, indeed, he had been. His fists clenched and holovision images of Colonel Linn and Dors Venabili suddenly appeared in the room. Thunderstruck, Seldon exclaimed, â€Å"Dors! What are you doing here?† The General said nothing, but his brow furrowed into a frown. How to cite Forward the Foundation Chapter 18, Essay examples

Project management

Introduction Background to the study Existing studies show that organisations are increasingly adopting project approach in their quest to attain their desired growth. For a project to succeed, it is imperative for organisational management teams to implement effective project management practices.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Project management – Petronas Limited specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Artto, Kujala, Dietrich, and Martinsuo (2008) define project management as the application of techniques, skills, and tools in order to meet the set project requirements. Moreover, organisational managers have an obligation to ensure that the project plans and goals align with the set organisational goals. Artto et al. (2008) assert that projects are intrinsically complex due to their multi-stakeholder characteristics. Some of the key stakeholders include customers’ project team members, the performing organisations, project managers, and sponsors. Therefore, the success with which projects are implemented is subject to the degree of inclusiveness of all the involved stakeholders. These stakeholders have varying project interests. Additionally, projects are usually resource intensive. Subsequently, project failure can lead to loss of the desired competitive advantage. Considering the complexity projects, it is fundamental for organisational managers to appreciate the importance of effective project implementation (Nevitt Fabozzi 2000). In an effort to improve its competitiveness, the Petronas’ Chief Executive Officer announced the company’s decision to invest in a new project, which entailed implementing a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in 2012. The decision was informed by the need linked to the company’s strategic human resource management practices. Some of the aspects that the new HRIS would assist in include tracking the employees’ perfo rmance, hence improving the firm’s effectiveness in formulating employee training and development program. Furthermore, the new HRIS also aimed at improving the firm’s effectiveness in the recruitment and selection process. Subsequently, the firm will be in a position to improve its human capital base. Aim and scope The success of the project is greatly influenced by the project strategy adopted. Subsequently, the significance of adopting effective project management strategies cannot be underestimated. This report examines the project management strategies adopted by Petronas in implementing the new HRIS coupled with how it has contributed to the improvement in the company’s performance.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Company profile Petronas is a government owned company, which was established in 1974. The firm operates in the Malaysian oil and gas i ndustry and its headquarters are located at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The firm’s operations entail the production of natural gas, petroleum, and petrochemicals. Furthermore, the firm also provides shipping services. Since its establishment, the firm has attained substantial growth, as evidenced by its ranking in position 75 amongst the Fortune Global 500. By the end of 2013, Petronas was ranked 12th amongst the most profitable organisations in the world. The company’s revenue during its 2012 financial year amounted to $97.35 billion, while its net income was $ 21.91 billion (Petronas 2014). The firm has ventured into over 35 countries. Its operations around the world are facilitated by a well-trained workforce, which is comprised of over 40,000 employees (Petronas 2014). Furthermore, its success has arisen from the adoption of effective management practices. One of the aspects that the firm has taken into account relates to the formulation of a comprehensive organisation al structure, which ensures that operations are effectively coordinated. The firm has adopted a flat organisational structure in order to foster internal communication as illustrated by the organisational chart below. Source: (The OfficialBoard.com 2013) Petronas has experienced significant growth in the level of its profitability. The figure below illustrates the growth in the firm’s revenues between 2012 and 2013.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Project management – Petronas Limited specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Revenue 2012 2013 March 914.802 910.443 June 887.363 930.767 September 865.599 1022.86 December 3576.77 1028.07 Figures in million Ringgit Source: (Reuters, 2014) The firm’s profits increased to RM 12,763 7 million in 2012 (Petronas 2014). Petronas is committed to achieving a high level of sustainable development. One of the avenues through which the firm inte nds to achieve sustainability is by investing in effective information communication technologies. Analysis; contribution of project management strategies to Petronas performance Artto et al. (2008, p. 5) assert that strategically ‘managed projects are focused on achieving business results, while operationally managed products are focused on getting the job done’. Longman and Mullins (2004) are of the opinion that the success of strategic and operational projects is dependent on a number of elements, regardless of the nature of the organisation. Some of the project management strategies adopted by Petronas are evaluated below. Failure to take into account these elements increases the likelihood of project failure. Workplace communication Effective internal communication is paramount in an organisation’s efforts to achieve the desired level of competitiveness. Adams, Means, and Spivey (2007, p. 76) is of the opinion that â€Å"workplace communication should be co nsidered as an investment rather than a cost item in organisations’ operation’. Organisational performance is influenced by the extent to which the various internal organisational stakeholders collaborate with each other. The Petronas’ management team understood the importance of effective communication in creating awareness to all the stakeholders involved.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The management was committed to ensuring that the project team members collaborate in implementing the project, which led to the achievement of the desired synergy. The project manager implemented an effective communication strategy in order to establish the critical links amongst the different stakeholders. Subsequently, the firm was in a position to promote the flow of ideas and information in the organisation. Artto et al. (2008) argue that internal organisational communication is fundamental in fostering collaboration amongst the various stakeholders. According to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (2000, p. 117), â€Å"everyone involved in the project must be prepared to send and receive communications and must understand how the communications in which they are involved as individuals affect the project as a whole† (p. 117). Poor project communication leads to breakdown in the project implementation process. In an order to improve exchange of ideas amongst the pro ject team members, Petronas undertook a comprehensive project communication planning. This goal was achieved by undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the communication and information needs of the various project stakeholders. The project manager provided frequent reports to all the stakeholders on the project status. The project manager undertook a comprehensive analysis of the various information needs amongst the stakeholders. This goal was achieved by evaluating the appropriateness of the information required with regard to content, detail, and format (Adams, Means Spivey 2007). Furthermore, the communication planning process entailed determining how the information would be communicated to the respective stakeholders efficiently and effectively by formulating policy on the frequency of communication. In order to ensure effective exchange of information, Petronas adopted different communication tools such as information communication technologies and internal memos. This move played a fundamental role in improving the effectiveness with which the stakeholders were conversant with the project. The communication strategy has played a fundamental role in improving the firm’s competitiveness, and hence its performance. First, the firm’s employees appreciate the importance of collaboration in executing their duties. Subsequently, Petronas has successfully eliminated the imbalance in its internal communications. Furthermore, the firm’s effectiveness in fostering interdepartmental communication has improved the competency level significantly amongst the firm’s workforce. The adoption of effective project communication strategy has played a remarkable role in enhancing the effectiveness with which Petronas has improved the relationship amongst its employees. This aspect has arisen from the development of a high degree of trust amongst the organisation’s employees (Rad Levin 2003). Therefore, the firm has minimised conflicts a mongst employees remarkably. Furthermore, the firm has successfully transformed itself into a knowledge-based organisation. Information and knowledge sharing are some of the most important aspects in an organisation’s pursuit for business excellence. Kalla (2005) further asserts that knowledge sharing is achieved through ongoing social collaboration and interaction, which fosters exchange of information in the organisation. Human resource management In the process of implementing the new HRIS at Petronas, the project manager was cognisant of the importance of developing a comprehensive project team. The project team members were sourced internally by selecting employees from different departments. This decision was informed by the need to foster exchange of ideas and knowledge amongst employees, which would enhance the project implementation process. One of the aspects that the project manager took into account in establishing the project team is team development. The project manager selected the team members based on their competence in order to promote team project performance (Cobb 2012). By adopting the concept of team development, Petronas has been in a position to integrate teamwork into its organisational culture. The organisation’s management team appreciates various team building elements such as managing the employees’ conflicts. Furthermore, incorporating team development in its operations has led to greater appreciation of the importance of employee development. This aspect arose from the view that the process of implementing the project was undertaken in-house. Consequently, the firm undertook comprehensive training on the selected project team members in order to ensure that they are conversant with the relevant skills in implementing the new HRIS. Additionally, the firm has extensively appreciated the importance of delegating tasks amongst the team members. This move has played a fundamental role in ensuring that the firmâ⠂¬â„¢s employees are provided with an opportunity to progress through their career path. According to Westland (2007), successful completion of a project is influenced by the quality of the organisation’s human capital. Some of the team building activities that the firm undertook include ensuring that the team members were extensively involved in team performance. The firm also established rules and regulations that aimed at guiding the project implementation process. Furthermore, the firm undertook status review meetings periodically in order to assess team progress. This move played a fundamental role in promoting interpersonal relationships amongst employees. Additionally, team-building activities have also improved the firm’s level of appreciation of the importance of implementing a comprehensive employee recognition and reward systems. Subsequently, the firm has effectively reinforced the desired employee behaviours, which has led to improvement in the level of em ployee productivity. For example, due to the high level of motivation, the firm’s employees have become creative and enthusiastic in undertaking their job responsibilities. Risk management The process of implementing projects may be affected adversely by the occurrence of risks. Projects have unique features that vary from one project to another. Some of the sources of projects risks include the assumptions made, project budget, and project timing. Moreover, project risks originate from commercial, technical, and relational aspects. Consequently, it is imperative for project managers to implement effective risk management strategies. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (2000, p. 127) defines risk management as ‘the systematic process of identifying, analysing, and responding to project risks’. In the process of implementing the new HRIS, Petronas implemented a comprehensive risk management strategy. The strategy entailed focusing on a number of issues which include risk evaluation, risk assessment, and risk mitigation. During the risk analysis phase, Petronas ensured that the various components that constitute the new Human Resource Information System were analysed. The project manager assessed the HRIS hardware, software, and data critically in order to identify possible gaps. This move was aimed at determining the likelihood of the project achieving the intended goal. Furthermore, the project manager undertook a comprehensive risk mitigation process, which was achieved through risk prioritisation, risk evaluation, and control mechanism. Subsequently, the firm was in a position to implement the necessary security measures in order to minimise the likelihood of system failure upon its implementation. Therefore, the HRIS project enabled Petronas to develop a broad perspective on the impact of risk in an organisation’s long-term survival. Available literature shows that poor risk management can cause organisational failure, as evi denced by failure of major organisations such as Enron and WorldCom. Subsequently, Petronas has appreciated the role of implementing effective risk management techniques such as risk acceptance, risk avoidance, risk mitigation, and risk transference. The contemporary business environment is characterised by numerous changes arising from the macro-environmental business environment. These changes are increasing the degree of uncertainty amongst businesses (Khosrowpour 2006). In order to survive in such an environment, it is imperative for organisational managers to implement effective risk management strategies. Lau (2005, p. 4) asserts that an ‘organisation’s risk can proliferate at a faster rate than its ability to provide coverage’. Therefore, the appreciation of project risk-management strategies has improved the Petronas’ performance with regard to risk identification and prioritisation. Subsequently, the firm has successfully minimised occurrence of l oss in its investment process. One of the areas in which the firm has been successful in relates to effective allocation of the scarce resources. In an effort to improve its performance, the Petronas’ management team has adopted a broad approach to risk management, which has improved the effectiveness with which it transforms risks into results as illustrated by the diagram below. Source: (Lau 2005) Quality management Project managers have an obligation to ensure that the quality of the project is maintained, which underscores the importance of adopting effective quality management strategies. Additionally, quality management is focused at ensuring that the outcome of the project contributes to a high level of satisfaction amongst the target project stakeholders (Rose 2005). In the course of implementing the new HRIS system, the Petronas’ project manager ensured that high quality standards were maintained. This goal was achieved by taking into account a number of qual ity management concepts, which include quality control, quality assurance, and quality planning. Petronas undertook a comprehensive quality planning by identifying the quality standards that were relevant in the process of implementing the new HRIS project. By implementing the new HRIS project, Petronas has gained sufficient knowledge on a number of quality planning tools and techniques. Some of the techniques utilised include benchmarking, cost-benefit analysis, and flow-charting. Benchmarking will improve the effectiveness with which Petronas sets and achieves its desired targets. Subsequently, the firm will be in a position to develop ideas on the most effective way to undertake improvement of its products and services. Furthermore, the firm’s management team has also gained sufficient knowledge on the importance of evaluating the cost and benefit tradeoffs (Satzinger Burd 2008). The firm’s performance has also improved due to additional knowledge on how to solve d ifferent organisational problems by utilising the cause-and-effect diagrams or the fishbone diagram. The use of flowcharting technique has significantly improved the effectiveness with which the organisation’s management team understands how the various organisational elements are interrelated. Schwalbe (2010) asserts that lack of poor problem solving strategies can adversely affect the productivity of an organisation, and hence its performance. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (2000, p. 98) asserts that the ‘primary benefit of meeting quality requirements is less re-work, which means higher productivity, lower costs, and increased stakeholder satisfaction’. Through effective quality management, Petronas has remarkably improved its performance by minimising the cost involved in the process of developing its products. Furthermore, the firm has appreciated the importance of developing a comprehensive quality management plan, which describes the elements tha t the firm will follow in its quest to adhere to quality management. In addition to quality planning, adoption of project quality-management strategies has improved the Petronas’ performance through the appreciation of the concept of quality assurance. Quality assurance refers to a systematic and planned process through which the project manager ensures that the project being implemented will adhere to the set quality standards. The Petronas’ project manager was committed at ensuring that the new HRIS was implemented successfully in the organisation. In order to achieve this goal, the project manager undertook periodic quality audits in order to determine how the quality management process could be improved. The quality audits were undertaken under the watch of a trained in-house auditor. Subsequently, the organisation was in a position to enhance the employees’ skills and knowledge. Petronas improved performance has also arisen from its improved commitment to q uality control. During the process of implementing the new HRIS, the firm’s management team appreciated the importance of undertaking effective equality control in order to identify possible quality gaps and to eliminate unsatisfactory elements in the project (Taylor 2008). The firm has appreciated the importance of undertaking continuous quality control, as evidenced by the establishment of a quality control department. Additionally, the firm has gained sufficient knowledge on the different quality control tools and techniques such as trend analysis, use of Pareto diagrams, flowcharting, and statistical sampling. Conclusion and Recommendations Investing in the new HRIS system has played a significant role in improving the Petronas Company’s performance. This assertion arises from the view that the firm’s management team has gained additional knowledge on different project management strategies, which are being applied continuously in the firm’s day-to-da y operations. The report shows that the firm’s ranking amongst the Fortune 500 companies has increased significantly. Additionally, the firm has also experienced remarkable growth in the level of its profitability as illustrated in the company profile. One of the strategies that the firm took into account in implementing the new HRIS entails ensuring that all the project stakeholders were conversant with the firm’s decision to adopt a new technology and its contribution to all the stakeholders. This goal was achieved by communicating the decision to all the stakeholders. This aspect has significantly enhanced the firm’s communication to its stakeholders, hence nurturing a high level of collaboration. Additionally, adopting effective project communication has significantly improved the firm’s communication culture. The firm’s improved performance has also emanated from the improved appreciation of the importance of effective risk management. The Pet ronas’ management team has gained additional knowledge on how to apply a broad view in identifying and managing risks. Subsequently, the firm is in a position to turn possible risks into results. The process of implementing the new project also took into account effective quality management practices. Therefore, the company’s management team has developed a higher appreciation on the significance of ensuring that all its target stakeholders are satisfied. This goal has been achieved by incorporating different quality management practices such as quality control, quality assurance, and quality planning in its strategic management practices. Moreover, the firm’s performance has also been enhanced by the adoption of effective human resource management practices. Some of the skills that the firm has nurtured relate to team building and development. The firm has also appreciated the importance of integrating effective employee reward system in order to nurture a high level of motivation. Subsequently, the firm has successfully improved the level of productivity amongst its workforce. The benefits gained from the project management strategies may not be sustainable in the future. Consequently, it is imperative for the firm’s management team to evaluate continuously the developed organisational culture with regard to quality management, risk management, workplace communication, and human resource management in order to identify possible gaps. This move will enable the firm to undertake the necessary improvements, hence improving its ability to remain competitive in the global oil and gas industry. Reference List Adams, T, Means, J Spivey, M 2007, The project meeting facilitators: facilitation skills to make the most of project meetings, John Wiley, Hoboken. Artto, K, Kujala, J, Dietrich, P Martinsuo, M 2008, ‘What is project strategy’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 26 no.6, pp. 4-12. Cobb, T 2012, Leading project teams: the basics of project management and team leadership, Sage, Thousand Oaks. Kalla, H 2005, ‘Integrated internal communications; a multidisciplinary perspective’, Corporate Communications; An international Journal, vol. 10 no. 4, pp. 302-314. Khosrowpour, M 2006, Emerging trends and challenges in information technology management, Idea Group, Hershey. Lau, L 2005, Managing business with SAP: planning, implementation and evaluation, Idea Group, Hershey. Longman, A Mullins, J 2004, ‘Project management; key tool for implementing strategy’, Journal of Business Strategy, vol.25 no.5, pp. 54-60. Nevitt, P Fabozzi, F 2000, Project financing, EuroMoney, London. Petronas: Sustainability 2014. Web. Project Management Body of Knowledge: A guide to the project management body of knowledge 2000, Electronic Imaging Services Inc., Oak Street. Rad, P Levin, G 2003, Achieving project management success using virtual teams, Ross, Boca Raton. Reuters: Petrona s gas Bhd 2014. Web. Rose, K 2005, Project quality management; why, what and how, J. Ross Publishing, Boca Raton. Satzinger, J Burd, S 2008, Systems analysis and design in a changing world, Course Technology, Cambridge. Schwalbe, K 2010, Information technology project management, Cengage Learning, Boston. Taylor, J 2008, Project scheduling and cost control: planning, monitoring and controlling the baseline, Ross Publication, Boca Raton. The OfficalBoard.com: Organisational chart; Petronas 2013. Web. Westland, J 2007, The project management lifecycle: a complete step-by-step methodology for initiating, planning, executing and closing a project successfully, Kogan Page, London. This report on Project management – Petronas Limited was written and submitted by user Jason Mcbride to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Project Management The art of managing multiple tasks in a project is referred to as project management. House refurbishment is a project that requires a competent contractor with a perfect project plan.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Project Management – House Refurbishment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The contractor should be able to manage the work to completion. House renovations can be tasking, because it requires precision and speed. A good project management plan has five basic components, which include project definition, project planning stage, project implementation, project regulator, and project finishing. The project definition A contractor outlines the objectives of his/her mission, and the components that are required to execute the project. The contractor should be able to produce a list of materials and inputs required for the renovation work. The house owner will have to see that the project plan meets his/her requirements before funding the project. The quickest way to fail in a house renovation plan is not to have a well-defined project plan. Planning stage This stage consists of the project timeline, and the project schedules for the house to be refurbished. The contractor will efficiently manage site tasks, day-to-day activities on a paper before the actual work commences. Without a paper work, it may be difficult to have a quality project implementation. At this stage, the project contractor will have a list of people that will be on his/her project team and how they will execute the work. Project implementation This is the work stage. The materials are on ground, and the laborers are in sight. The renovating work has started and work is in progress. This stage requires less stress and may be the last stage that must be done before the project handover. By the time the work is completed, the project contractor and the owner of the house will harmonize their differences in th e contract sum and any other task relating to the project. Risk assessment The risk involved in a project implementation, is the choice of a contractor or the project manager. If the contractor is not qualified for the work, but eventually wins the contract, it will be a failed project from the start. There are factors to consider in choosing your contractor. The contractor must have a list of references from customers that can testify about the quality of his/her work.Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The contractor must be covered by an insurance scheme because of unforeseen hazards. For example if a contractor accidentally dies during work, it can cause problems for the project owner if the contractor is not covered by any insurance scheme. Thus in order to avoid this problem, the choice of a contractor must meet specific requirements. A qualified contractor should be able to produce a precise risk assessment of the project, thereby reducing hazards for the project. In a situation where there is no binding agreement for the contract, both parties may enter into conflict with payments. Do not fall for any cheap contractor who insists that the terms of the agreement should be informal. A well-written contract paper will be used even as a legal document whenever the need arises. It will also state the cost required to fund the project, and all the details of how the funds will be released. This is where most projects are terminated because of bridge of contract terms from one of the parties involved. Finally, if the risks are known, then project implementation will be successful. This essay on Project Management – House Refurbishment was written and submitted by user Sadie Glover to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

US Proposed Plan for Reducing Security Threat by Mexican Drug Cartels

US Proposed Plan for Reducing Security Threat by Mexican Drug Cartels Introduction Terrorism in the modern world has become a big threat to the security of the world and especially the US citizens which is the largest economy in the world. Mexico is a major loophole that can be used by these terrorists because of its border with the US which is very porous. There are several means through which terrorist activities are being carried out around the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on US Proposed Plan for Reducing Security Threat by Mexican Drug Cartels specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the ways is Cyber warfare, which has been said to be causing a lot of tension in the US. For instance by stealing intellectual property or commercial espionage are carried out by use computers and information technology. However, the Mexican cartels have not been noted to extensively use cyber warfare to terrorize people. Nevertheless Cyber warfare is still a security risk to US as a nation. This is because there are increased incidences of cyber terror, cyber espionage, hacking and cybercrime in the modern world. The risk that the cyber crime presents is hard to assess therefore its very dreadful as a time bomb waiting to explode. There are more frightful security threats that are posed by Mexican drug cartels. For years now, Mexico has come to be associated with distribution of largest volumes of drugs to the US. This is done by groups of organized crime gangs called cartels. They usually dominate large regions where they base their main operations and they cause unlawfulness in these areas because of their crime activities. They mostly engage in violent activities, drug abuse, and even manipulation of political support. There are a number of cartels that operate in Mexico and their activities often spill into the US. The major cartels include Sinaloa Federation, Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas, Juarez cartel, Tijuana, and Beltran Leyva (Oscar, 2004, p. 67). Most of the conflicts being experienced across Mexico are attributed to the operations of these cartels. They basically cause such conflicts so that they can exploit the unstable conditions of lawlessness to do their businesses because in such a condition, they are able to transport and distribute their merchandise without police interference. They can evade police tracking and they control their own trafficking routes when there is no policing structure in place. Mexican drug cartels pose the greatest security threat to US because the two countries border each other and the even on instability in one of them, it’s likely to spills to the neighbor. Furthermore the border has been very porous with many drug cartels operations being done across these areas. The cartels are very dangerous and a reason to be scared because they accept firearms and other weapons in exchange of their drugs (Oscar, 2004, p. 67).Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your fi rst paper with 15% OFF Learn More The cartels train their recruits in rigorous military skills especially use of the weapons that they purchase both legitimate and those illegitimately acquired. Furthermore the cartels are able to attract the best talent and brains into their gangs because of the handsome salaries that they offer including other luxury goods like gold jewelry and cars. The drug cartel business is so lucrative that some military personnel even quit their jobs to join the cartels. From statistics, it’s been estimated that about 2.5% of the defense person have joined and continue to join these cartels. Besides the sale of the drugs like marijuana, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, they also smuggle a great number of weapons into Mexico since for them to be able counter the police and their rivals, they require the best weapons and very sophisticated arms. given that the most heinous crimes take place in area controlled by the cartels, these or ganized gangs are able to smuggle weapons through to the US ranging from small arms to very large shipment of armory (Oscar 2004, p. 69). This means that since terrorists are looking to the slightest chance to smuggle their weapons to the US, they can work together with these drug barons to sneak deadly weapons to the US like nuclear war materials. By enhancing their relationships with prisons and the police, the cartels have increased their network in the US to a point where they can easily move or ship their products to distribute them to a very large area. South-western areas of the US are such risky areas that even the National Drug intelligence centre has revealed extensive business deals of gangs like Mara Salvatrutha and Latin King. Comprehensive Strategy for Fighting Background It’s now clear that the drug cartels in Mexico are causing serious mayhem in the country and the war between them and the government has gradually trickled into the US through the porous south- western border. The consequences of this have been that, there are increased murders in these regions sometime of innocent people and kidnapping of the US citizens. Among the notable incidences was the death of Robert N. Krentz who was just killed by a drug peddler while on his farm in Arizona. The US president was forced to 1,200 American National Guard troops to the areas to intensify security. This was a good indication that the US is yet to implement a proper plan of combating such crimes across its border with Mexico, though it was a good reaction for that incidence (United Nation, 2010, para. 3). The dreaded war between Mexican government and the drug cartels will remain to be a threat to the US security for a long time unless the US law makers take up an all-inclusive approach to deal with the violence. These means the US government should step up the effort to secure its borders, crackdown cartel operation in the vulnerable areas and also to assist Mexico in strengthening it s domestic capacity to fight the cartels, convict the gangs and imprison the drug cartel members (United Nation, 2010, para. 3).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on US Proposed Plan for Reducing Security Threat by Mexican Drug Cartels specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The escalating drug trade is extracting a terrible toll on the US citizens (Chu William, 2009, p. 104). It threatens their lives, the wellbeing of their families, their economy and even their supposedly inalienable freedoms. The illicit drug trade is also a serious threat to the entire National Security because the networks of the drug cartels have a very great potential of destabilizing and corrupting the government and weakening the public safety in the areas that are vulnerable in America. The illicit drug businesses give the cartels great amount of ill-obtained profits and despicable alliances that are built during their operations are used to facilita te terrorist activities and organized crime across the world (Chu William, 2009, p. 104). The US government needs to confront these threats by using combined strategies with Mexico. The combinations of the resources should include law enforcement investigation, diplomatic negotiations, economic sanctions, outlawing, developing proper institutions based on disrupting the drug cartel networks especially the markets, institution appropriate financial programs and investigations and establishing federal, local, and state enforcement cooperation (Chu William, 2009, p. 108). The government should intensify the existing law enforcement initiatives that include High Intensity Drug trafficking area (HIDTA), the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and DEA among others. The government should work to improve its interagency coordination and technology enrichment. These undertakings will strengthen the US defense system on its border. Internationally, the government should strive to form alliances with other governments especially Mexico itself so that the processes of interdiction, law enforcement and international development agencies all seek to combat the drug cartels and cut down their profits across the world (Chu William, 2009, p. 109). Cooperation with Mexico is the main ploy for the effort to fight these drug cartels. This cooperation is likely to effectively disrupt the illicit supply of the drugs since its from the source that a great volume of drugs can be stopped before they are sold into circulation in smaller packages considering that the drug traffickers have established big and well organized cartels with adequately trained men, some being ex-soldiers and the type and number of weapons they can access because of the money from larger profits from the trade, the cartels pose a serious threat even to the police force (United Nation, 2010, para. 3). However to ensure that they are fought and buried, it’s only pertinent that the US and Mexico r each an agreement to work together. They should have a plan that is sensible, feasible and has measurable milestones for success or failure. This way the fight against organized crime especially arms smuggling, human trafficking, drug trafficking and possible terrorism will be dealt with at the simultaneously.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Comprehensive Plan The Mexican drug cartels apparently control very big areas across Mexico and their illicit activities are being felt across the world especially in the US. In 2009, about 9,000 people were killed in drug related raids. This year had the worst incidences since President Felipe Calderà ³ declared war on drugs trade. The current US government should be praised for its efforts in combat the cartel activities by continuing what president Bush had left in place. However the government now greatly blames the US drug use, arms law and the current policies that seem to be ineffective (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009, p. 15). The Mexican president declared war on the drug cartels after assuming office in 2006 so that he could contain the havoc that the cartels were causing across the country. That venture was not an easy one and up to now, over 23,000 people have died in drug related operations with over 4,000 of them dying this year, 2010. Calderon seems t o be very tough on his stand against the cartels and seemingly, the cartels are now branching out to other illegal businesses like kidnapping and extortion. Since the fights and drug trade basically take place along the US-Mexico border, the violence usually affects the US citizens who are faced with fear of kidnapping, armed gangs and brutal killings ineffective (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009, p. 15). As the two countries struggle to finish the cartels, the cartels on the other hand are struggling to find new survival means and they are shifting to other illegal businesses as mentioned earlier and also expanding their networks to the northern parts of US. It’s estimated that the currently, the Mexican drug cartels have connections with over 20,000 street gangs across the United States. These gangs occupy the major cities in west and northern America. Implementing the plan to fight cartels will be a joint venture between the US and Mexico so that the two nations can be sure that the situation is seriously contained. Basically Mexico is not a failed state yet. The government is still in control of its military and other machinery that the state requires to ensure the security of its citizens (United Nation, 2010, para. 4). This is what has allowed the US Agencies to work in collaboration with their Mexican counterparts regarding security operations over the recent past. This is portrayed as a very positive prospect for the future. The following steps are crucial for the plan to function effectively; Identifying and Understanding the Problem: the main problem with the Mexican drug cartels is the insecurity that they cause across the two countries and the possible social impact of drug abuse on the communities. From this cause, Mexico and the United States are required to venture into collaborative attack on the cartels. The attack should be based on the information available from reliable sources like the National Intelligence Estimates (NIE ) (US Department of Justice 2010, p. 45). The US intelligence community should be mandated to provide the information on the cartels especially the amount of threat posed, that is, if it can be quantified. The National Drug Intelligence Center will also offer deeper predictive analyses on the crimes. For this reason, therefore a baseline for the future can be drawn where security operations will be based. All the cooperation plans will be adequately informed (United Nation, 2010, para. 5). This means that the NIE will have to create standard classified information and even the unclassified information just to ensure that the public is adequately educated to be knowledgeable about the nature of the threat. Curbing the Supply of Weapons to Cartels: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) claims that the drug cartels in Mexico acquire thousands of deadly weapons every year from Arizona, Texas and California (Carpenter, 2009, p. 6). Out of the traceable weapons that have been recovered, 90 percent of them were bought in the United States (US Department of Justice 2010, p. 45). This therefore means that if the governments manage to stop this supply, they will have managed to cut off about 90% of the Mexican source of arms to the cartels. Though the gangs can still find some weapons elsewhere this is a step in the right direction. The US should struggle to close all the possible loopholes like ensuring that there are background checks when purchasing guns. It’s estimated that over 40% of the guns acquired by the cartels are usually from selling points that do not carry out background checks during the purchase. ‘Gun shows’ should be closed because they are possible loopholes and that would make the United States much insecure (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009, p. 15). A study by the Republican Pollster Frank Luntz indicated that a very big population of the US citizens (over 87%) supported background check of firea rms at their selling points. A second step would be to increase the amount of pressure to be enforced on the law breakers. The US government should give the ATF more resources for its works of investigating the arms dealers who could be linked to the weapons that are found in Mexico ineffective (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009, p. 17). It’s been found that merely one percent of the federally licensed arms sellers are responsible for selling 60% of the guns that are associated with drug related crimes (United Nation, 2010, para. 7). The ATF should then crackdown the small number of gun sellers who habitually break the law and demonstrate that there is zero tolerance to unlawful dealings in crime whether by mistake or knowingly sell the guns to Mexican gangs (Carpenter, 2009, p. 6). The US should also illegalize the smuggling of guns from the country and impose a very serious sentence for that crime. Whereas there are specific provisions of the Gun Control Act that state that smuggling weapons into the country is an illegal activity, smuggling weapons out is not clearly illustrated as an offense. This means the crime is generally punishable under general smuggling statute (Warner, 2010, p. 83). Therefore if a special statute provision is provided to append harsher repercussions for smuggling weapons or selling them knowingly to gang members and cartels that eventually end in Mexico would go a great length in limiting those illicit activities. The US Should Stem Cash Flow to the Cartels: it’s estimated that between 20 and 29 billion US dollars cash obtained from the US from the sale of drugs is smuggled back and almost half of it immediately gets into the informal economy of that country after evading detection by authorities (US Department of Justice 2010, p. 45). An operation that was conducted in 2009 by Operation Firewall in an attempt to curb flow of cash and laundering led to seizure of over 200 million US dollars and over 190 arre sts in the united states and other countries. This is just a tip of the iceberg, if this is compared to the amount of cash that is smuggled across the US-Mexico border, the Mexican law is ineffective (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009, p. 19). This is why there needs to be joint effort to block this cash flow. This would also be a good start and will still have to be expanded to address the root cause of the problem. The US financial intelligences capacity has to have the ability to understand all the financial flows in the areas that most affected or even interdict money and other laundering deals (Carpenter, 2009, p. 6). More resources should be provided to the Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit so that it can deal with numerous cases per year. When more monetary and training resources are devoted to the activity, the results are likely to be efficient (Warner, 2010, p. 83). A joint training program between the US and Mexico especially the US Financial Intellige nces, Treasury Department’s and the Mexican UIF will be able to guarantee effectiveness of the venture. The US policy makers should assess the remittances from the US either legal or illegal are the leading sources of revenue to Mexico where they create a weak economy. Restricting the Operation Capacity of the Cartels: the US government should struggle to create a border security surge, so that the border is transformed into a very secure zone free of cartel operations. Both president Calderon and President Obama have great visions for their countries especially survival in the 21st century and sealing their permeable border into a place of controlled movement (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009, p. 20). The idea of a 21st century border is a great one though it would take several years to eventually accomplish. This is expected to improve security, but in the meantime, there is need to cause great boundary security surge to bring order along the border. The main goa ls would be to increase the number of the national guards to be allocated specific responsibilities so that all possible gaps are covered as reviewed by agencies dealing with border information (Warner, 2010, p. 86). The operation will also seek to expand the resources of the homeland security and justice department so that they can afford the best technology when needed. And finally there should be increased sources for the state and local police forces in the states that border Mexico. Increased Intelligence: there need to have more collaborative ventures more than ever before, for US and Mexican law enforcement agencies. The existing collaboration has been seen to be improving since statistics show positive results in the â€Å"mirrored enforcement reports†. The US border patrol now works together with the federal police from Mexico especially on border patrols which are often done simultaneously now. Still more can be done for the purpose of security. The two countries ca n agree to use unmanned US drones to amass information in the drug cartel dominated areas (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009, p. 20). There is need of creating a new program that will be used to collect information by the aerial drones unarmed over US-Mexico border to cover other areas beside the current Texas border. The intelligence should then be shared with Mexican government for proper strategy formulation (Carpenter, 2009, p. 8). The two governments should also look at the possible joint especially forces established to make the raids on the cartel territories to flush out and arrests the leaders. It’s possible that arresting and extraditing the leaders to the governments for prosecution would lead to justice and also scuttle organized cartels. Mexico is already extraditing some criminals for the same reasons. However a more efficient ways of dealing with the deeply rooted cartel would be for the Mexican military to conduct the raid operations banked by the US (Warner, 2010, p. 88). The proficient aerial attacks and logistics of the US military are likely to meet greater goals. Help Improve Mexico’s Justice System: the Mexican justice system needs a lot of reforms for long terms achievements. The US should works hard to give support to Mexico so that it can strengthen its rule of law. Even though this could be costly for both the countries, the insecurity that currently exists is much worse. The judicial system in Mexico should put more pressure on the cartels to impede their operations (Warner, 2010, p. 89). However, the reform process will still be slow but it’s expected that the continuing efforts will have achieved these reforms by 2016. The Mexican judicial system needs more training on the monetary and financial systems for the combined effort to be effective (Carpenter, 2009, p. 9). The local and state police in Mexico also need serious training in addition to the reforms being initiated in the courts and other gover nmental institutions. The Mexican military is under thorough reforms under a program called the Meridia initiative (Carpenter, 2009, p. 13). The programs have to be expanded to meet more law enforcement agencies and the entire legal system to be professionalized. Crackdown the Markets in the US: considering that the drug cartels have over 2,500 connections in the US cities, the US citizens are threatened greatly. Severing these networks and cutting the links with the controlling cartel is not only necessary but also inevitable. This is the most essential step of disrupting and dismantling the dominant cartels (Carpenter, 2009, p. 13). The US justice department led the â€Å"Project Deliverance† which was an inter-agency (included over 300 agencies) boundary operation that was set to fight the cartels trafficking networks. The project put a lot of pressure on the distribution links in the US resulting in over 2,266 arrests and 154 million dollars were seized with 2.5 tons of c ocaine, 69 tons of marijuana among other drugs as well as over 500 vehicles. The project is a robust program that involves state securities and international agencies to disrupt cartel networks in America. Since this model was somehow a success, it can be used as a basis for disruption of cartel networks (Carpenter, 2009, p. 13). From it, new programs can be created to deal with drug cartel activities. Ultimate Operations The drug cartel problem and insecurity is a very big problem that entangles a lot to the US systems including illegal immigration, prisons, education and the law enforcement. Basically there are some factors that need to be resolved first before the ultimate operations can begin. First is the gang culture. Many Mexican do not value education considering that there are cheaper means of earning money besides going to school and developing a good career. Now the new problem is not even the Mexican but the America Mexican born in America or even illegal immigrants. Mos t of them have been found to have poor education (Smith, 2006, p. 56). For instance the education level of Mexican men who form larger percentage of illegal immigrants is very low at the bottom of the spectrum with least number of people with college degrees and most of them are high school dropouts. Even the US born Mexican youths always attach themselves to Mexico and still maintain their culture of carelessness. They are very arrogant and very aggressive committing very brutal crimes in some cases (Smith, 2006, p. 56). This problem begun as early as 1940s, as Mexicans started immigrating to US to better their lives and currently about 4% to 10% of the Mexican Youths subscribe to criminal gangs in America. The other cause of lawlessness is the inadequate reforms among law enforcement agencies in Mexico (Smith, 2006, p. 56). Basically the ability of Mexico to deal with drug cartels should be founded on the total overhaul of the judicial institutions and law enforcement agencies. In the past, the police basically preserved order and not crime resolution. They were therefore corrupt, inefficient, uneducated and dependent on crime as they even drove stole vehicles (Smith, 2006, p. 59). Corruption is one major obstacle in the fight against cartels. This is a very strong tool for the cartels because they have power to corrupt top law officers with large cash amounts, use violence and coercion and even cause serious mayhem in certain areas. The idea of money or bullet commonly phrased as â€Å"plata† (silver) or â€Å"plomo† (lead) has for so long been an effective tool for traffickers (Beith, 2010, p. 41). Government official were hence corrupt and totally engulfed in drug dealings. Political will is also been used as a weapon. President Calderon has been very aggressive in dealing with crime. For that reason, all politicians who supported him faced some threat. At times, some politicians have been killed in the past and the gangs have used them as r eference to scare other people like ‘Did you see what happened to so and so? The same could happen to you† †¦ this instills fear in people (Beith, 2010, p. 41). In 2009, Revolutionary party swept five governor positions out of the available six. This basically showed that there was a serious shift of political support from the President’s National Action party to the revolutionary party which is a little tolerant. He maybe loosing the popularity partly because of the fight he has set against these cartels (Beith, 2010, p. 46). There are three ultimate missions of the place to stop drug cartel threat to the US security. The three strategies only seek to expand cross-border bilateral cooperation based on the common enemy and shared dreams of dealing with insecurity (Carpenter, 2009, p. 13). Cooperation: the meeting between President Bush and Calderon led to a paradigm change from grudges to partnership between the two nations. This is where the Meridia initiati ve was born and it’s now a very large and comprehensive plan for fighting cartels. The program was set to run for three years and 1.4 billion dollars were spent on it (Wasler, 2010, p. 6). The basic objective was to strengthen Mexican institutions to enhance their capacities to hunt and deal with complex crime and trafficking gangs. The US has also provided its Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) personnel to help in recruitment and training of law enforcement officers in Mexico for the Mexican sensitive Investigative unit. This way, there will be great enhancement of intelligences across the countries’ departments. Another important dual venture is the Border Enforcement Security Task Forces (BEST); this is an operation task force that makes use of the intelligence obtained from the partnership to propel investigations and organize the members for intensify security on the borders (Wasler, 2010, p. 6). Containment: the objective of the US forces as they seek to ensu re security for its citizens has been to contain or stop smuggling of any kind ranging from illegal immigrants, human traffickers, illicit commodities, drugs and other unlawful activities through the borders in order to stop any problems that could be associated with these illegal dealings (Wasler, 2010, p. 7). First, the US established a special department for this purposes, the border patrol in 1924 and recently, the setting up of the Secure Fence Act in 2006. The US is now positive that it can manage to contain the drug cartels threats from Mexico to a considerable level. The border security has been modified over years through several revisions, from Southwest Border security to new 2009 law and seemingly more efficient institution called Homeland security headed by Janet Napolitano (Wasler, 2010, p. 8). The office of national drugs control policy (ONDCP) formed collaboration with DHS to fight narcotics smuggling across southwestern border. Blame America and not Mexico: itâ€⠄¢s quite evident that the US domestic drug abuse is the reason why there is production of drug in Mexico because this offers ready market. Some of its gun laws as identified earlier have big loopholes and the economy is also very open (Wasler, 2010, p. 9). Acceptance of co-responsibility yielded good results and now the cartels are feeling the pressure. Even the US former president Clinton noted that the American insatiable need for the drugs is what drives the trade. The inability to control firearms and other lethal weapon from being smuggled out of the country offers the gangs the weapons to counter government raids and other efforts to stop them (Wasler, 2010, p. 9). However, there is new readiness to contain drug cartels where several combined initiative are already in place and other laws are being prepared to make smuggling of weapons out of US illegal and also reevaluate other domestic policies that deal with drug trafficking from Mexico. Reference List Beith, M. (2010). â €Å"The Last Narco,† Grove Press, New York, pp. 40-55. Carpenter, T.G. (2009). â€Å"Troubled Neighbor: Mexicos Drug Violence Poses a Threat to the United States,† Policy Analysis, no. 631. Chu, V.S., William, J.K. (2009). â€Å"Gun Trafficking and the Southwest Border:† Congressional Research Service,† Library of Congress; Washington, DC. Oscar B. (2004). â€Å"New Traffickers Struggle for Control of Mexican Drug Trade,† Janes Intelligence Review. Smith, R.C (2006). â€Å"Mexican New York- Transnational Lives of New Immigrants,† University Of California Press; Berkeley, CA. U.S. Government Accountability Office, (2009). â€Å"Firearms Trafficking: U.S. Efforts to Combat Arms Trafficking to Mexico Face Planning and Coordination Challenges,† GAO-09-709, pp. 14–16 Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09709.pdf United Nation. (2010). â€Å"Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment,† United Nation Publisher Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=r2QsBwNv8NMCpg=PA239dq=Zetas+and+Beltran+Leyva+conflicthl=enei=FXj2TNjQEc2r8AapoY3gBgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultredir_esc=y#v=onepageq=Zetas%20and%20Beltran%20Leyva%20conflictf=false United States Department of Justice. (2010). â€Å"National Drug Intelligence Center,† National Drug Threat Assessment 2010. Retrieved from  https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/prs/10ndta10.htm Warner, J. (2010). â€Å"U.S. Border Security: A Reference Handbook,† ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA. Wasler, R. (2010). â€Å"U.S. Strategy Against Mexican Drug Cartels: Flawed and Uncertain, Heritage Foundation,† Backgrounder, No. 2407.

Sacred Words

Sacred Words Sacred Words Sacred Words By Mark Nichol The words featured in this post have a word in common: the Latin adjective sacer, meaning â€Å"holy.† The word’s direct descendant is sacred. Other terms include sacrament, which describes a religious observance or rite, and sacerdotal, which refers to things that pertain to a priest or the priesthood. A sacristy is a room where sacred objects are kept and where priests dress for services; a sacristan is a person in charge of the room and its contents. (Sexton, by way of the Anglo-French segrestein, is derived from the same Latin precursor as sacristan but refers more broadly to a church caretaker.) Sacrilege originally referred to stealing something sacred but later came to refer as well to any seriously irreverent act, although it is sometimes used to facetiously allude to something that merely mocks convention or tradition; the adjectival form is sacrilegious (which, despite looking and sounding similar to religious, is unrelated to that word). Sacrifice, from the Latin words sacra (â€Å"holy rites†) and facere (â€Å"perform†), originally meant just that but later referred to killing someone or something as an offering to a deity. In use as both a noun and a verb, it also applies in nonreligious contexts to destroying something or giving it up. In baseball, a sacrifice fly or hit occurs when a batter accidentally or deliberately hits the ball and is called or forced out but by doing so enables a teammate already on base to advance. To consecrate is to devote, or make holy; an act of doing so is consecration. To desecrate is to damage or destroy something sacred; desecration is such an act. To execrate, by contrast, is to curse, and the noun is execration. The adjective execrable originally meant â€Å"fit to be cursed,† but the modern sense is of something detestable or wretched. The rare term obsecration means â€Å"beseech† or â€Å"implore† (and is unrelated to the noun obsequy, meaning â€Å"funeral rites,† and the adjective obsequious, which means â€Å"overly compliant†). The anatomical term sacrum and its adjectival form sacral, both referring to the bone at the base of the spine, originate from the Latin term os sacrum (â€Å"sacred bone†). Competing theories for the significance of the term are that the part of the body in which it is located was used in sacrifices and that because the Greek term from which os sacrum is derived is hieron osteon, and hieron also means â€Å"strong,† the meaning is â€Å"strong bone.† (In anthropology, the adjectival form means â€Å"pertaining to religious rites.†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Compared "to" or Compared "with"?Does "Mr" Take a Period?30 Words Invented by Shakespeare