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Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20th Century. Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels. Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas. Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared ...
Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20 th Century. Since its discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels. Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas. Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas' discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Gospel clearly bears witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
The insight of European history, and the ability fully appreciate the catalysts and competing phi... more The insight of European history, and the ability fully appreciate the catalysts and competing philosophies that have brought the Western World to the brink of apocalyptic annihilation twice in the last century, illuminate the shortsighted failures of the Great Powers despite the 19th century ideological revolutions. The lessons that kings, prime ministers, foreign statesmen and radical revolutionaries should have grasped at the Congress of Vienna, the world’s first attempt at globalization and a universal peace, were not realized until the middle of the 20th century, and some would question whether those lessons were learnt even today. It was not until the European community, and the whole of the outside world, came face-to-face with the atrocities perpetuated onto humanity by the National Socialist regimé and Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich at the conclusion of the Second World War, that European hegemony altered course, revised its conceptions of strength, power and dominance, resurrected an enlightened vision and forged a new identity for its continued survival. More than 60 years have elapsed since the 1952 creation of the European Coal and Steel Community [ECSC], the forerunner to the Great Experiment that is the European Union [EU]. During those six decades, the tangible incarnation of the Kantian ideals of a federation of nation-states, of shared sovereignty and a Perpetual Peace, and the Categorical Imperatives of a morality-based society have endured, and indeed flourished, amidst a backdrop of a constantly shifting world order. It is through this modern coalition of peoples and ideals, educated in the past yet poised to mold the future, that the global tolerance, peace, and security envisioned by the Master Idealist have the greatest potential for achievement.
Team Euro is down by a goal to Team BRIC at the end of regulation and they are moving into overti... more Team Euro is down by a goal to Team BRIC at the end of regulation and they are moving into overtime. Can the megalomaniacs – Ronaldo, Costa, Salpingidis and Buffon -- put their egos and showmanship aside for the good of the Team? Work together under the captainship of Bastian Schweinsteiger and move the ball up, feeding Thomas Müller and Mario Götze for the score rather than their standard modus operandi of ball-hogging until they have dribbled into triple coverage or shooting wide from range? The glamorous pretty-boys are blowing up social media with their free wheeling and its no wonder that they can only boast only three post-1950 Jersey Stars combined (Ronaldo & Salpingidis have not even taken a shot on goal) while their neighbors to the north dominate European representation at the international level, achieving yet another decisive victory in 2014. As National Coach Merkel makes her last substitutions and imparts her last words of wisdom, the game is now on-the-line . . . the question is, will teamwork prevail or will Euro be relegated down for next four years, surrendering the top seeds to BRIC, Russia or (god forbid) the US?
Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accuse... more Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accused and imprisoned French/Jewish army captain Alfred Dreyfus in 1894. Shadows of the dark influence of anti-Semitism fueled pre-war French national identity, disgracing the army and dividing the National Assembly. What was a domestic issue for France the 1890s erupted into international scandal when Émile Zola published his open letter to President Faure in L’Aurore in 1898 condemning the miscarriage of justice by the Army and politicians. Resolved in 1906 with Dreyfus’ exoneration and restoration to rank, those eight years of public debate deeply divided France before and throughout the Great War. Early French and later international filmmakers, sought to narrate the breakdown of French state and civil society through a national lens and against the social and political imprint left by the Affair. Such prospective forms the interconnected structures of three unique yet distinctly different discourses on the traditional war film: Abel Gance’s sweeping epic J’Accuse (1919), Jean Renoir’s emotive La Grande Illusion (1937) and decades later, Stanley Kubrick’s ethical dilemma Paths of Glory (1957). In the dialogues that Gance, Renoir and Kubrick strived to initiate through their films, each would agree with sentiments expressed by former French President Chirac during the centennial commemorations of Dreyfus’ vindication in 2006. Chirac praised Dreyfus’ rehabilitation as a rejection of anti-Semitism and a victory for human rights, concluding that the fight against the dark forces of intolerance is never definitively won. We must remain vigilant.
Europe at the dawn of the 20th century, through a treacherous system of defensive alliances, marc... more Europe at the dawn of the 20th century, through a treacherous system of defensive alliances, marched relentlessly toward a continental conflagration unlike any the world had ever known. Sparked by the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir, the progressive Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife on an official visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on 28 June, 1914, Europe plunged head-long into oblivion in a conflict which would ultimately claim more than 20 million lives, topple three Imperial dynasties and spark a communist revolution. At the outset, the United States adopted a policy of benevolent neutrality under the sanguine leadership of President Woodrow Wilson and a largely pacifist 64th Congress; a policy the Wilson Administration would cling stubbornly to throughout 1914-1917. Wilson, whose reelection campaign slogan in the fall of 1916 proudly touted, “he kept us out of war,” sat precariously on the sidelines as the Central Powers of Austria- Hungary, Germany and Italy and the Triple Entente comprised of Russia, France and Great Britain, waged the first modern, mechanized and truly global war in human history.
On the evening of August 3, 1914, a disillusioned British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, ret... more On the evening of August 3, 1914, a disillusioned British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, returned to the Foreign Office from his triumphant speech in the House of Commons having successfully argued for Britain’s entry into pending conflict on the continent. Grey’s influence, predicated primarily in defense of the violation Belgium’s neutrality at the hands of the Imperial German Army, hailed a victory for both the British interventionists as well as for the Liberals. No less important to Grey was the resounding affirmation of England’s intent to stand beside her Entente partners – France and Russia – and uphold the terms of the Triple Entente, the final piece in the jigsaw of alliances dividing Europe into opposing camps in the waning years of its belle epoque. For Grey as well as for Britain, “obligations of honor and of interest” were at stake and should she choose not to honor her obligations to Belgium’s neutrality as one its original guarantors of the 1839 Treaty of London or her defensive pledges to her Entente partners, as Grey poignantly concluded, “I am quite sure that our moral position would be such as to have lost us all respect.” Grey was not alone in his perception that honor and reputation – today we term it spheres of influence – were driving forces in the rationale to march head-long into war and, though the levels of destruction, devastation and human suffering just over the horizon were beyond the grasps of reality, revivals of the sentiments of the first-century BCE Roman poet Horace in his third book of Odes rang out, Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori [‘it is sweet and right to die for your country’]. As young recruits and aged reserves joined their active compatriots, soldiers from all walks of life and representing the ever expanding list of belligerents paraded off into the abyss, proud to serve their king, emperor, kaiser or tsar, roused by romanticized notions of nineteenth-century honor and warfare.
The advent of social welfare programs and the social welfare state and civil society has its root... more The advent of social welfare programs and the social welfare state and civil society has its roots in the Imperial Germany of the 1880s. Under the pragmatic but powerful leadership of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, perhaps the greatest statesman of the late 19th century, newly industrialized Germany forged the radical concept of the State as the ultimate stalwart for the welfare of its citizens. Though Bismarck’s original motives can be traced more as a practical example of his Realpolitik [pragmatic politics] – federal welfare legislation which undermined and preempted the political platform of his most hated enemies – the Social Democrats; his social welfare legislation was none-the-less revolutionary in its construction and implementation, paving the way for what has become the preeminent European model. What began as separate laws providing elderly pensions, accident/disability insurance and unemployment insurance has evolved into a highly structured system of state-sponsored laws, acts and policies designed to stabilize and enhance the citizenry. To some degree, the success of social welfare policies in any country is predicated on the economic model in tandem. In the German-European model, a limited form of democratic capitalism – a social market economy – compliments the social welfare structure. Conversely, in the pluralist capitalism so centrally at the core of the United States’ model, social welfare legislation is weak (when it exists at all) and has left the US precariously ‘on the outside looking in,’ as the rest of the industrialized and even many third-world nations nurture the social capital of their society from within.
The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War h... more The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War has brought about heightened efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to forge an economically stronger, democratically sound, ecologically responsible and militarily self-reliant partnership amongst not only the existing but the emerging nations of a Europe stretching from the British Isles to Moscow. EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871. The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium. War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations. Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights. Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos. The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
LUX: A Transdisciplinary Writing and Research Journal of the Claremont Graduate University, Nov 13, 2013
Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20th Century.
Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels.
Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas.
Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
The theory of military intelligence is a classic oxymoron – that figure of speech in which appare... more The theory of military intelligence is a classic oxymoron – that figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. To presuppose that an individual or department of any organization can accurately acquire, decipher, analyze and correctly interpret the encoded communications or symbols of an opposing faction is a fallacy and yet governments routinely base the safety of their military and civilian populations upon such fragmented information. Revisionists and conspiracy theorists have argued exhaustively for more than 70 years that US Military Intelligence and President Franklin D. Roosevelt were aware of, and perhaps even invited the government of the Empire of Japan to launch a first-strike against the United States in an effort to gain popular support for US entry into the war that had been raging in Europe and North Africa since 1939. Such critics have held that cryptanalysts of the Signal Intelligence Service [SIS] at the War Department in Washington had been intercepting and deciphering encoded Japanese communications from Tokyo to its key embassies and diplomats around the world since 1932 and that a steady stream of red flag transmissions, code name Magic, had been received and disseminated to top government and military officials since late 1940. Unfortunately, as the US would learn time and again, military intelligence and cryptography are credible only when evaluated alongside substantiating data gathered from a myriad of other sources: including troop movements, economic and political reports and an objective, rather than overly optimistic, pair of investigative goggles. Though Operation Magic decryptions were significant indicators of mounting Japanese tensions towards the US in 1940-41, the reassurance afforded by the mere connotation of the code name Magic was fatefully misplaced and precipitated a string of miscommunications and miscalculations by key decision-makers that ultimately resulted in nearly 3,000 American casualties in the early morning hours of December 7, 1941.
After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its m... more After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its more than 230 years of high-profile national elections. America’s electoral processes are entangled webs of long out-dated fail-safes the Founding Fathers designed to protect the people from themselves. Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine. No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom. CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion. A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections. American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
Nota Bene 2014: 20th Anniversary Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Anthology, Jan 25, 2015
The change of political party platforms ushered in with the democratic victory of Barak Obama in ... more The change of political party platforms ushered in with the democratic victory of Barak Obama in 2008 resulted in a distinct shift in public educational efforts from the “No Child Left Behind” standardization championed by the George W. Bush White House; refocusing attention on the American post secondary education system and underscoring the common core belief that a college education should and would be the goal of every graduating high school senior. Online courses will continue to augment traditional curriculum offerings and provide more students with the flexibility to begin, enhance and/or complete their degree. As with countless industries before it, post secondary education will and is being transformed by technology – in and out of the traditional classroom. It is critical that lawmakers, public and private institutions, educators, private corporations and entrepreneurs embrace the IT revolution that higher education is already immersed in and strive to maintain the affordability of these courses through cooperative authorship and deliverance. Early stumbles and hiccups have long-since given way to a viable, affordable, and statistically successful adjunct to higher education in America and internationally. The US must maintain its leading role in the quest for refined online education standards of development and delivery in order to provide the opportunity of a quality education and a path to fulfilling the American Dream.
Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accuse... more Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accused and imprisoned French/Jewish army captain Alfred Dreyfus in 1894. Shadows of the dark influence of anti-Semitism fueled pre-war French national identity, disgracing the army and dividing the National Assembly. What was a domestic issue for France the 1890s erupted into international scandal when Émile Zola published his open letter to President Faure in L’Aurore in 1898 condemning the miscarriage of justice by the Army and politicians. Resolved in 1906 with Dreyfus’ exoneration and restoration to rank, those eight years of public debate deeply divided France before and throughout the Great War. Early French and later international filmmakers, sought to narrate the breakdown of French state and civil society through a national lens and against the social and political imprint left by the Affair. Such prospective forms the interconnected structures of three unique yet distinctly different discourses on the traditional war film: Abel Gance’s sweeping epic J’Accuse (1919), Jean Renoir’s emotive La Grande Illusion (1937) and decades later, Stanley Kubrick’s ethical dilemma Paths of Glory (1957). In the dialogues that Gance, Renoir and Kubrick strived to initiate through their films, each would agree with sentiments expressed by former French President Chirac during the centennial commemorations of Dreyfus’ vindication in 2006. Chirac praised Dreyfus’ rehabilitation as a rejection of anti-Semitism and a victory for human rights, concluding that the fight against the dark forces of intolerance is never definitively won. We must remain vigilant.
The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War h... more The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War has brought about heightened efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to forge an economically stronger, democratically sound, ecologically responsible and militarily self-reliant partnership amongst not only the existing but the emerging nations of a Europe stretching from the British Isles to Moscow. EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871. The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium. War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations. Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights. Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos. The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its m... more After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its more than 230 years of high-profile national elections. America’s electoral processes are entangled webs of long out-dated fail-safes the Founding Fathers designed to protect the people from themselves. Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine. No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom. CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion. A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections. American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
Voluminous works have been written in last 80 years attempting to analyze the infamous love story... more Voluminous works have been written in last 80 years attempting to analyze the infamous love story of King Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson. The preponderance of these writings have impassioned the events of the Abdication Crisis of 1936; portraying the King as an empathetic victim of a vicious Prime Minister, his Conservative Government, an unsympathetic public, and an outspoken, slanderous Press. For many, the Abdication Crisis is where the story ends. Regrettably, there is another 36 years to their tragedy, including several episodes surrounding Edward’s alleged Nazi sympathies before and during WWII. Clashes between Edward, the British Government and the British and foreign press plagued the couple for the remainder of their lives. Upon closer examination of the events and context in which they occurred, what emerges is a less glorified fairy-tale. As Prince of Wales, Edward had gained tremendous admiration around the world. His genuine empathy for the poor, his popular oversees tours, and his valiant service with the troops during the WWI resulted in the common view of most Britons that Edward would “usher in a new age of peace and hope.” It was that distinct image that the Prince so detested, and an image he would be unable to escape. In Edward’s 1951 autobiography he laments, “the press creates; the press destroys. All my life I had been the passive clay which it had enthusiastically worked into the hackneyed image of Prince Charming.” Though hardly innocent, Edward’s continued prominence in the years following the Abdication were further evidence to his detractors that his resolve to marry Wallis Simpson was the greatest action Edward could have taken to ensure the stabilization of the British Empire.
Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20th Century. Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels. Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas. Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Thomasine community was very different from other centers of early Christianity, particularly those of the canonical Apostles. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20th Century. Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels. Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas. Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared ...
Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20 th Century. Since its discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels. Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas. Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas' discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Gospel clearly bears witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
The insight of European history, and the ability fully appreciate the catalysts and competing phi... more The insight of European history, and the ability fully appreciate the catalysts and competing philosophies that have brought the Western World to the brink of apocalyptic annihilation twice in the last century, illuminate the shortsighted failures of the Great Powers despite the 19th century ideological revolutions. The lessons that kings, prime ministers, foreign statesmen and radical revolutionaries should have grasped at the Congress of Vienna, the world’s first attempt at globalization and a universal peace, were not realized until the middle of the 20th century, and some would question whether those lessons were learnt even today. It was not until the European community, and the whole of the outside world, came face-to-face with the atrocities perpetuated onto humanity by the National Socialist regimé and Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich at the conclusion of the Second World War, that European hegemony altered course, revised its conceptions of strength, power and dominance, resurrected an enlightened vision and forged a new identity for its continued survival. More than 60 years have elapsed since the 1952 creation of the European Coal and Steel Community [ECSC], the forerunner to the Great Experiment that is the European Union [EU]. During those six decades, the tangible incarnation of the Kantian ideals of a federation of nation-states, of shared sovereignty and a Perpetual Peace, and the Categorical Imperatives of a morality-based society have endured, and indeed flourished, amidst a backdrop of a constantly shifting world order. It is through this modern coalition of peoples and ideals, educated in the past yet poised to mold the future, that the global tolerance, peace, and security envisioned by the Master Idealist have the greatest potential for achievement.
Team Euro is down by a goal to Team BRIC at the end of regulation and they are moving into overti... more Team Euro is down by a goal to Team BRIC at the end of regulation and they are moving into overtime. Can the megalomaniacs – Ronaldo, Costa, Salpingidis and Buffon -- put their egos and showmanship aside for the good of the Team? Work together under the captainship of Bastian Schweinsteiger and move the ball up, feeding Thomas Müller and Mario Götze for the score rather than their standard modus operandi of ball-hogging until they have dribbled into triple coverage or shooting wide from range? The glamorous pretty-boys are blowing up social media with their free wheeling and its no wonder that they can only boast only three post-1950 Jersey Stars combined (Ronaldo & Salpingidis have not even taken a shot on goal) while their neighbors to the north dominate European representation at the international level, achieving yet another decisive victory in 2014. As National Coach Merkel makes her last substitutions and imparts her last words of wisdom, the game is now on-the-line . . . the question is, will teamwork prevail or will Euro be relegated down for next four years, surrendering the top seeds to BRIC, Russia or (god forbid) the US?
Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accuse... more Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accused and imprisoned French/Jewish army captain Alfred Dreyfus in 1894. Shadows of the dark influence of anti-Semitism fueled pre-war French national identity, disgracing the army and dividing the National Assembly. What was a domestic issue for France the 1890s erupted into international scandal when Émile Zola published his open letter to President Faure in L’Aurore in 1898 condemning the miscarriage of justice by the Army and politicians. Resolved in 1906 with Dreyfus’ exoneration and restoration to rank, those eight years of public debate deeply divided France before and throughout the Great War. Early French and later international filmmakers, sought to narrate the breakdown of French state and civil society through a national lens and against the social and political imprint left by the Affair. Such prospective forms the interconnected structures of three unique yet distinctly different discourses on the traditional war film: Abel Gance’s sweeping epic J’Accuse (1919), Jean Renoir’s emotive La Grande Illusion (1937) and decades later, Stanley Kubrick’s ethical dilemma Paths of Glory (1957). In the dialogues that Gance, Renoir and Kubrick strived to initiate through their films, each would agree with sentiments expressed by former French President Chirac during the centennial commemorations of Dreyfus’ vindication in 2006. Chirac praised Dreyfus’ rehabilitation as a rejection of anti-Semitism and a victory for human rights, concluding that the fight against the dark forces of intolerance is never definitively won. We must remain vigilant.
Europe at the dawn of the 20th century, through a treacherous system of defensive alliances, marc... more Europe at the dawn of the 20th century, through a treacherous system of defensive alliances, marched relentlessly toward a continental conflagration unlike any the world had ever known. Sparked by the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir, the progressive Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife on an official visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on 28 June, 1914, Europe plunged head-long into oblivion in a conflict which would ultimately claim more than 20 million lives, topple three Imperial dynasties and spark a communist revolution. At the outset, the United States adopted a policy of benevolent neutrality under the sanguine leadership of President Woodrow Wilson and a largely pacifist 64th Congress; a policy the Wilson Administration would cling stubbornly to throughout 1914-1917. Wilson, whose reelection campaign slogan in the fall of 1916 proudly touted, “he kept us out of war,” sat precariously on the sidelines as the Central Powers of Austria- Hungary, Germany and Italy and the Triple Entente comprised of Russia, France and Great Britain, waged the first modern, mechanized and truly global war in human history.
On the evening of August 3, 1914, a disillusioned British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, ret... more On the evening of August 3, 1914, a disillusioned British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, returned to the Foreign Office from his triumphant speech in the House of Commons having successfully argued for Britain’s entry into pending conflict on the continent. Grey’s influence, predicated primarily in defense of the violation Belgium’s neutrality at the hands of the Imperial German Army, hailed a victory for both the British interventionists as well as for the Liberals. No less important to Grey was the resounding affirmation of England’s intent to stand beside her Entente partners – France and Russia – and uphold the terms of the Triple Entente, the final piece in the jigsaw of alliances dividing Europe into opposing camps in the waning years of its belle epoque. For Grey as well as for Britain, “obligations of honor and of interest” were at stake and should she choose not to honor her obligations to Belgium’s neutrality as one its original guarantors of the 1839 Treaty of London or her defensive pledges to her Entente partners, as Grey poignantly concluded, “I am quite sure that our moral position would be such as to have lost us all respect.” Grey was not alone in his perception that honor and reputation – today we term it spheres of influence – were driving forces in the rationale to march head-long into war and, though the levels of destruction, devastation and human suffering just over the horizon were beyond the grasps of reality, revivals of the sentiments of the first-century BCE Roman poet Horace in his third book of Odes rang out, Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori [‘it is sweet and right to die for your country’]. As young recruits and aged reserves joined their active compatriots, soldiers from all walks of life and representing the ever expanding list of belligerents paraded off into the abyss, proud to serve their king, emperor, kaiser or tsar, roused by romanticized notions of nineteenth-century honor and warfare.
The advent of social welfare programs and the social welfare state and civil society has its root... more The advent of social welfare programs and the social welfare state and civil society has its roots in the Imperial Germany of the 1880s. Under the pragmatic but powerful leadership of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, perhaps the greatest statesman of the late 19th century, newly industrialized Germany forged the radical concept of the State as the ultimate stalwart for the welfare of its citizens. Though Bismarck’s original motives can be traced more as a practical example of his Realpolitik [pragmatic politics] – federal welfare legislation which undermined and preempted the political platform of his most hated enemies – the Social Democrats; his social welfare legislation was none-the-less revolutionary in its construction and implementation, paving the way for what has become the preeminent European model. What began as separate laws providing elderly pensions, accident/disability insurance and unemployment insurance has evolved into a highly structured system of state-sponsored laws, acts and policies designed to stabilize and enhance the citizenry. To some degree, the success of social welfare policies in any country is predicated on the economic model in tandem. In the German-European model, a limited form of democratic capitalism – a social market economy – compliments the social welfare structure. Conversely, in the pluralist capitalism so centrally at the core of the United States’ model, social welfare legislation is weak (when it exists at all) and has left the US precariously ‘on the outside looking in,’ as the rest of the industrialized and even many third-world nations nurture the social capital of their society from within.
The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War h... more The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War has brought about heightened efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to forge an economically stronger, democratically sound, ecologically responsible and militarily self-reliant partnership amongst not only the existing but the emerging nations of a Europe stretching from the British Isles to Moscow. EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871. The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium. War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations. Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights. Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos. The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
LUX: A Transdisciplinary Writing and Research Journal of the Claremont Graduate University, Nov 13, 2013
Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20th Century.
Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels.
Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas.
Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
The theory of military intelligence is a classic oxymoron – that figure of speech in which appare... more The theory of military intelligence is a classic oxymoron – that figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. To presuppose that an individual or department of any organization can accurately acquire, decipher, analyze and correctly interpret the encoded communications or symbols of an opposing faction is a fallacy and yet governments routinely base the safety of their military and civilian populations upon such fragmented information. Revisionists and conspiracy theorists have argued exhaustively for more than 70 years that US Military Intelligence and President Franklin D. Roosevelt were aware of, and perhaps even invited the government of the Empire of Japan to launch a first-strike against the United States in an effort to gain popular support for US entry into the war that had been raging in Europe and North Africa since 1939. Such critics have held that cryptanalysts of the Signal Intelligence Service [SIS] at the War Department in Washington had been intercepting and deciphering encoded Japanese communications from Tokyo to its key embassies and diplomats around the world since 1932 and that a steady stream of red flag transmissions, code name Magic, had been received and disseminated to top government and military officials since late 1940. Unfortunately, as the US would learn time and again, military intelligence and cryptography are credible only when evaluated alongside substantiating data gathered from a myriad of other sources: including troop movements, economic and political reports and an objective, rather than overly optimistic, pair of investigative goggles. Though Operation Magic decryptions were significant indicators of mounting Japanese tensions towards the US in 1940-41, the reassurance afforded by the mere connotation of the code name Magic was fatefully misplaced and precipitated a string of miscommunications and miscalculations by key decision-makers that ultimately resulted in nearly 3,000 American casualties in the early morning hours of December 7, 1941.
After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its m... more After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its more than 230 years of high-profile national elections. America’s electoral processes are entangled webs of long out-dated fail-safes the Founding Fathers designed to protect the people from themselves. Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine. No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom. CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion. A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections. American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
Nota Bene 2014: 20th Anniversary Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Anthology, Jan 25, 2015
The change of political party platforms ushered in with the democratic victory of Barak Obama in ... more The change of political party platforms ushered in with the democratic victory of Barak Obama in 2008 resulted in a distinct shift in public educational efforts from the “No Child Left Behind” standardization championed by the George W. Bush White House; refocusing attention on the American post secondary education system and underscoring the common core belief that a college education should and would be the goal of every graduating high school senior. Online courses will continue to augment traditional curriculum offerings and provide more students with the flexibility to begin, enhance and/or complete their degree. As with countless industries before it, post secondary education will and is being transformed by technology – in and out of the traditional classroom. It is critical that lawmakers, public and private institutions, educators, private corporations and entrepreneurs embrace the IT revolution that higher education is already immersed in and strive to maintain the affordability of these courses through cooperative authorship and deliverance. Early stumbles and hiccups have long-since given way to a viable, affordable, and statistically successful adjunct to higher education in America and internationally. The US must maintain its leading role in the quest for refined online education standards of development and delivery in order to provide the opportunity of a quality education and a path to fulfilling the American Dream.
Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accuse... more Rarely has an event defined a national era so significantly as did the case of the falsely accused and imprisoned French/Jewish army captain Alfred Dreyfus in 1894. Shadows of the dark influence of anti-Semitism fueled pre-war French national identity, disgracing the army and dividing the National Assembly. What was a domestic issue for France the 1890s erupted into international scandal when Émile Zola published his open letter to President Faure in L’Aurore in 1898 condemning the miscarriage of justice by the Army and politicians. Resolved in 1906 with Dreyfus’ exoneration and restoration to rank, those eight years of public debate deeply divided France before and throughout the Great War. Early French and later international filmmakers, sought to narrate the breakdown of French state and civil society through a national lens and against the social and political imprint left by the Affair. Such prospective forms the interconnected structures of three unique yet distinctly different discourses on the traditional war film: Abel Gance’s sweeping epic J’Accuse (1919), Jean Renoir’s emotive La Grande Illusion (1937) and decades later, Stanley Kubrick’s ethical dilemma Paths of Glory (1957). In the dialogues that Gance, Renoir and Kubrick strived to initiate through their films, each would agree with sentiments expressed by former French President Chirac during the centennial commemorations of Dreyfus’ vindication in 2006. Chirac praised Dreyfus’ rehabilitation as a rejection of anti-Semitism and a victory for human rights, concluding that the fight against the dark forces of intolerance is never definitively won. We must remain vigilant.
The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War h... more The creation of the European Union (EU) more than 50 years ago and the collapse of the Cold War has brought about heightened efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to forge an economically stronger, democratically sound, ecologically responsible and militarily self-reliant partnership amongst not only the existing but the emerging nations of a Europe stretching from the British Isles to Moscow. EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871. The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium. War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations. Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights. Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos. The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its m... more After analyzing the 2012 national elections, America appears to have learned very little in its more than 230 years of high-profile national elections. America’s electoral processes are entangled webs of long out-dated fail-safes the Founding Fathers designed to protect the people from themselves. Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine. No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom. CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion. A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections. American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
Voluminous works have been written in last 80 years attempting to analyze the infamous love story... more Voluminous works have been written in last 80 years attempting to analyze the infamous love story of King Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson. The preponderance of these writings have impassioned the events of the Abdication Crisis of 1936; portraying the King as an empathetic victim of a vicious Prime Minister, his Conservative Government, an unsympathetic public, and an outspoken, slanderous Press. For many, the Abdication Crisis is where the story ends. Regrettably, there is another 36 years to their tragedy, including several episodes surrounding Edward’s alleged Nazi sympathies before and during WWII. Clashes between Edward, the British Government and the British and foreign press plagued the couple for the remainder of their lives. Upon closer examination of the events and context in which they occurred, what emerges is a less glorified fairy-tale. As Prince of Wales, Edward had gained tremendous admiration around the world. His genuine empathy for the poor, his popular oversees tours, and his valiant service with the troops during the WWI resulted in the common view of most Britons that Edward would “usher in a new age of peace and hope.” It was that distinct image that the Prince so detested, and an image he would be unable to escape. In Edward’s 1951 autobiography he laments, “the press creates; the press destroys. All my life I had been the passive clay which it had enthusiastically worked into the hackneyed image of Prince Charming.” Though hardly innocent, Edward’s continued prominence in the years following the Abdication were further evidence to his detractors that his resolve to marry Wallis Simpson was the greatest action Edward could have taken to ensure the stabilization of the British Empire.
Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian... more Many early Christian sects were aware of and accepted The Gospel of Thomas as authentic Christian scripture, despite its unorthodox, radical doctrine, igniting an ideological battle in and around the Thomasine communities of the ancient world. This ideological war is still raging and conflict renewed and amplified with the discoveries of the Greek and Coptic texts of The Gospel of Thomas in the first half of the 20th Century. Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels. Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas. Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Thomasine community was very different from other centers of early Christianity, particularly those of the canonical Apostles. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
Miramonte Elementary, the largest grammar school in the LAUSD is located in the Florence/Fireston... more Miramonte Elementary, the largest grammar school in the LAUSD is located in the Florence/Firestone subdivision of Los Angeles. In January 2012, third grade teacher Mark Brendt was arrested on 23 counts of lewd acts on children spanning a public school education career lasting over 30 years. In January 2011 an astute photo developer reported finding private photos of children in disturbing poses in a routine batch of film processing. Police began a yearlong investigation that eventually led to Brendt’s arrest on 1/31/2012. More than 400 photos would be recovered by school authorities and police including images of children in Berndt’s class with tape over their mouths, photos containing a spoon with a milky liquid, and in some images, traces of the liquid could be seen around the children’s mouths. While parents were not aware of the on-going investigation of Brendt, school administrators and LAUSD officials were aware of the investigation. After Brendt’s arrest, charges centered on accusations that Brendt sought sexual gratification by spoon-feeding his semen to students in his classes. Investigators disclosed that Brendt regularly told his students they were going to play “tasting games” includeding blindfolding children, both boys and girls, ranging from 7-10 years old. The Communication Privacy Management [CPM] theory was initially put forth by sociologist Sandra Petronio in the early 1990s under the name of Communication Boundary Management. CPM focuses on self-disclosure in personal communications. This theory explains the dialectal tension generated when people regulate their self-disclosure of their private versus public identities. Petronio’s follow-up study demonstrated qualitative analysis that this focus group used boundary access rules such as tacit permission, selecting circumstances and incremental disclosure as methods of revealing their sexual abuse experience. CPM was an effective method for assisting the children of Miramonte Elementary in the safe disclosure of details about their abusive experiences at the hands of Berndt. The importance of recognizing and understanding the communication concepts at work in everyday situations is critical. The sexual abuse of students at Miramonte Elementary School demonstrates common interpersonal communication concepts such as controlling the communication climate; the use of “We” language; and the expressed struggles and interdependence of managing conflicts. Children often communicate conflict using primarily non-verbal cues. Identifying the interdependent relationships of trust and power that children develop with authority figures and how they can be misused is key to interpreting those non-verbal cues and keeping children safe.
Examining the causes and impact of the Crimean War on general 19th century European politics, all... more Examining the causes and impact of the Crimean War on general 19th century European politics, alliances and military advancements.
In any broad survey of the European landscape over the last thee hundred years, it is evident tha... more In any broad survey of the European landscape over the last thee hundred years, it is evident that nearly all paths go through Germany. It becomes impossible to study German politics and diplomacy without quickly realizing that all roads in Germany lead to the military. Militarism and strict obedience shaped every form of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century German life and culture. In the weeks prior the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, the French journalist Georges Bourdon made an observation that embodies the core of this thesis. He wrote, “such and such country may possess an army, but Germany is an army that possesses a country.” This research project focuses on “the cult of the offensive” that developed within German militarism, its crucial role in her rise to prominence in Europe, and the consequences for Germany, and for Europe, when a military culture dictates domestic and foreign policy. Extensive research examines the German how as a roadmap to understanding and explaining the Germany why. In analyzing the how, it becomes possible to reroute traditional conversations on the pure mechanics of German militarism by historians such as Gerhard Ritter and Gordon Craig; into a conversation that focuses on how the ideologies of military theorists such as Clausewitz and the Elder Moltke shaped the cultural mindset. Two of the most influential German thinkers -- Nietzsche and Treitschke – built and expanded on this “cult of the offensive,” and translated it into the egoism of Germany’s pre-determination for “greatness.” Wilhemine Germany was unique in embracing offensive rather than the defensively minded strategies adopted by the other great Powers of the era: England, France and Russia. Polices which had kept the European peace for almost one hundred years. The crowning achievement of the German “cult of the offensive” was the development of the most famous war plan in history – the Schlieffen Plan - named for its creator and architect, Alfred von Schlieffen, Chief of the German General Staff between 1891 and 1905. With her geography at heart of Central Europe, and with no natural defensive barriers such as mountains or waterways, the German states had a long-developed fear of encirclement; and by 1900, her enemies included France in the West, and Russia in the East. Schlieffen Plan’s was an aggressive first-strike should Imperial Germany be forced to fight a war on two fronts. The driving force of Schlieffen’s Plan was speed; Germany must quickly and decisively defeat the French, so she could turn the full force of her attention towards Russia, within six weeks. A key element of the Plan called for the invasion neutral Belgium in order to facilitate an attack on France that would sandwich the French armies between a strong left German flank and even stronger right one. Schlieffen was a brilliant strategist and meticulously planned and choreographed every detail down to the hour. The German government and High Command believed that with the Schlieffen Plan in their back pocket, when - not if- war came, German victories would be swift and crushing. With “cult of the offensive” tactics, Germany could not loose. Reliance was so heavy on Schlieffen’s war planning that no contingencies were considered. The Plan was exhaustive but left no flexibility for an enemy who might behave differently than expected; or battles which might take longer than anticipated. In prizing speed and an aggressive first-strike above all else, any disruptions or delays in the prescribed timetable became deadly. This research reaffirms that it is inaccurate to say that the Schlieffen Plan lost the Great War for Germany however; it did contribute considerably. Moreover, it was the unshakable confidence in the infallibility of the Schlieffen Plan that prompted Germany’s aggressive policies in the summer of 1914 and led her down a path of such deadly destruction that the Paris peacemakers found it necessary to include the punitive Article 231 – the German War Guilt Clause – in the Versailles Treaty. It is the harshness of Article 231 that laid the foundations for the Third Reich and a second world war a mere 21 years later.
Modern warfare necessitates careful planning and intensive preparation. The success of any compl... more Modern warfare necessitates careful planning and intensive preparation. The success of any complex military strategy relies heavily upon the premise that the enemy’s actions are, to a significant degree, predictable. Taking the opening weeks of the Great War and the Imperial German Army’s invasion of neutral Belgium as my case study, in this thesis I explore the nature and significance of the unanticipated and sustained resistance of the citizens of Belgium and their small, defensive army. I argue the position that it is this initial and unexpected resistance which thwarted the German offensive strategy, rendering a quick victory on the western front impossible and contributing directly to the military stalemate which developed on the Western Front after September 1914 and the advent of trench warfare. Further, I address the somewhat obvious but seemingly unasked questions regarding Belgium’s motivation for both its initial, and then its sustained resistance in the face of an overwhelming enemy invasion. In addition I also investigate concepts of ‘cultural atrocities,’ the senseless destruction of key cultural landmarks and achievements including the gothic cathedral, Catholic University and the contents of its priceless library during the burning of Leuven. The catastrophic events of those twelve weeks of spontaneous resistance not only made possible a coordinated Allied response in 1914, but played a pivotal role in the eventual Allied victory in November 1918, elevating this tiny nation’s active role in the Great War to one of significant importance.
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Papers by Lisa Haygood
EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871.
The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium.
War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations.
Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights.
Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos.
The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels.
Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas.
Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine.
No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom.
CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion.
A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections.
American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
Conference Presentations by Lisa Haygood
Early French and later international filmmakers, sought to narrate the breakdown of French state and civil society through a national lens and against the social and political imprint left by the Affair. Such prospective forms the interconnected structures of three unique yet distinctly different discourses on the traditional war film: Abel Gance’s sweeping epic J’Accuse (1919), Jean Renoir’s emotive La Grande Illusion (1937) and decades later, Stanley Kubrick’s ethical dilemma Paths of Glory (1957).
In the dialogues that Gance, Renoir and Kubrick strived to initiate through their films, each would agree with sentiments expressed by former French President Chirac during the centennial commemorations of Dreyfus’ vindication in 2006. Chirac praised Dreyfus’ rehabilitation as a rejection of anti-Semitism and a victory for human rights, concluding that the fight against the dark forces of intolerance is never definitively won. We must remain vigilant.
EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871.
The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium.
War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations.
Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights.
Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos.
The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine.
No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom.
CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion.
A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections.
American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
For many, the Abdication Crisis is where the story ends. Regrettably, there is another 36 years to their tragedy, including several episodes surrounding Edward’s alleged Nazi sympathies before and during WWII. Clashes between Edward, the British Government and the British and foreign press plagued the couple for the remainder of their lives. Upon closer examination of the events and context in which they occurred, what emerges is a less glorified fairy-tale.
As Prince of Wales, Edward had gained tremendous admiration around the world. His genuine empathy for the poor, his popular oversees tours, and his valiant service with the troops during the WWI resulted in the common view of most Britons that Edward would “usher in a new age of peace and hope.”
It was that distinct image that the Prince so detested, and an image he would be unable to escape. In Edward’s 1951 autobiography he laments, “the press creates; the press destroys. All my life I had been the passive clay which it had enthusiastically worked into the hackneyed image of Prince Charming.”
Though hardly innocent, Edward’s continued prominence in the years following the Abdication were further evidence to his detractors that his resolve to marry Wallis Simpson was the greatest action Edward could have taken to ensure the stabilization of the British Empire.
Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels.
Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas.
Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Thomasine community was very different from other centers of early Christianity, particularly those of the canonical Apostles. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871.
The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium.
War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations.
Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights.
Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos.
The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels.
Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas.
Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine.
No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom.
CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion.
A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections.
American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
Early French and later international filmmakers, sought to narrate the breakdown of French state and civil society through a national lens and against the social and political imprint left by the Affair. Such prospective forms the interconnected structures of three unique yet distinctly different discourses on the traditional war film: Abel Gance’s sweeping epic J’Accuse (1919), Jean Renoir’s emotive La Grande Illusion (1937) and decades later, Stanley Kubrick’s ethical dilemma Paths of Glory (1957).
In the dialogues that Gance, Renoir and Kubrick strived to initiate through their films, each would agree with sentiments expressed by former French President Chirac during the centennial commemorations of Dreyfus’ vindication in 2006. Chirac praised Dreyfus’ rehabilitation as a rejection of anti-Semitism and a victory for human rights, concluding that the fight against the dark forces of intolerance is never definitively won. We must remain vigilant.
EU evolution has cultivated a mutually reverent relationship with the United States as both strive to resurrect a peaceful balance of power for a continent besieged with ethnic, religious and political turmoil since the days of German unification in 1871.
The last two decades have seen rapid expansion of the EU. A mere 15 member-nations in 2004 have grown to a total of 27 as we enter 2013. These nations represent the multi-national, multi-cultural ideologies, histories, languages and religions that have endured nearly constant conflict for more than a millennium.
War between member-nations is now unthinkable as the stability of shared influence and prosperity have brought an end to centuries of devastating warfare, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and authoritarian occupations.
Membership signifies each nation’s commitments to frontier-free commerce and education, environmental responsibility, standardized currency and most importantly, universal concepts of freedom, security, justice and human rights.
Strong bonds exist between the US and EU which has matured into a powerful world ally and risen as a beacon of social, economic, environmental and political reform from the ashes of conflict and chaos.
The EU is poised to tackle the greatest challenge in its history, attempting to mentor and incorporate the Western Balkan states into its cohesive family of nations. In this task, the European Union will need the powerful political support and diplomatic influence of the United States as the Union attempts to overcome centuries of ethnic and religious conflicts and hatred. The gradual admission of the Western Balkans, for so long the tinderbox of Europe, will require greater meaningful dialogue, compromise and sovereign recognition amongst neighboring peoples than has ever existed. To this end, the United States must be assertive in its leadership as the predominant world democracy.
Politicians, lobbyists, political action groups and especially the tax-paying American public should direct its attention across the Atlantic in an effort to arrest campaign financing abuse, legislative control by private interest groups and the ghastly sums that feed the American political machine.
No electoral system is without its flaws however, much can be learned and gained, if Americans have the courage to reform its dual-party political system: adapting serious electoral process, campaign administration and financing reforms, emulating changes implemented over the last decade in the United Kingdom.
CNN reported, with a mere three-campaign days left in the 2012 elections, more than $4.2 billion had been spent with projections for another $1.8 billion.
A cost analysis of recent UK and US’ electoral processes found the total expenditure in the 2010 British national election was approximately $39,648,506 (£30,266,035) in stark contrast to the estimated $6 billion (£7.86 billion) spent on the US’ 2012 national elections.
American voters may abhor the concept of government-funded, independently regulated national campaigns however, electoral reform implementation could cleanse the electoral process, streamline the perpetual campaign season, put a dent in the amount of legislation that favors political action committees over public needs and reduce the offensive sums spent on national elections.
For many, the Abdication Crisis is where the story ends. Regrettably, there is another 36 years to their tragedy, including several episodes surrounding Edward’s alleged Nazi sympathies before and during WWII. Clashes between Edward, the British Government and the British and foreign press plagued the couple for the remainder of their lives. Upon closer examination of the events and context in which they occurred, what emerges is a less glorified fairy-tale.
As Prince of Wales, Edward had gained tremendous admiration around the world. His genuine empathy for the poor, his popular oversees tours, and his valiant service with the troops during the WWI resulted in the common view of most Britons that Edward would “usher in a new age of peace and hope.”
It was that distinct image that the Prince so detested, and an image he would be unable to escape. In Edward’s 1951 autobiography he laments, “the press creates; the press destroys. All my life I had been the passive clay which it had enthusiastically worked into the hackneyed image of Prince Charming.”
Though hardly innocent, Edward’s continued prominence in the years following the Abdication were further evidence to his detractors that his resolve to marry Wallis Simpson was the greatest action Edward could have taken to ensure the stabilization of the British Empire.
Since it’s discovery, The Gospel of Thomas has presented scholars with ferocious debate, as serious probability exists that Thomas preserves an older tradition of the historical Jesus than that of the Synoptic Gospels.
Though the fierce theological battle of religious scholars in the 1990s hardly sparked The Gospel of Thomas debate, their combined research has renewed questions of how to validate Thomas, and thus, Jesus scholarship over the last half century has been restrained in the use and acceptance of Thomas.
Failure of modern scholars to develop a shared understanding of the proper role of The Gospel in reconstructing Christian origins underscores the importance of accurately dating documents from antiquity. Progress in Thomasine studies requires exploration of how texts and traditions were transmitted and appropriated in the ancient world. The greatest contribution of Thomas’ discovery will be to deepen knowledge and understanding of early Christianity. The Thomasine community was very different from other centers of early Christianity, particularly those of the canonical Apostles. The Gospel clearly bares witness to an independent branch within early Christianity and is a prime example of the diversity of the early Christian Church.
In January 2011 an astute photo developer reported finding private photos of children in disturbing poses in a routine batch of film processing. Police began a yearlong investigation that eventually led to Brendt’s arrest on 1/31/2012. More than 400 photos would be recovered by school authorities and police including images of children in Berndt’s class with tape over their mouths, photos containing a spoon with a milky liquid, and in some images, traces of the liquid could be seen around the children’s mouths.
While parents were not aware of the on-going investigation of Brendt, school administrators and LAUSD officials were aware of the investigation. After Brendt’s arrest, charges centered on accusations that Brendt sought sexual gratification by spoon-feeding his semen to students in his classes. Investigators disclosed that Brendt regularly told his students they were going to play “tasting games” includeding blindfolding children, both boys and girls, ranging from 7-10 years old.
The Communication Privacy Management [CPM] theory was initially put forth by sociologist Sandra Petronio in the early 1990s under the name of Communication Boundary Management. CPM focuses on self-disclosure in personal communications. This theory explains the dialectal tension generated when people regulate their self-disclosure of their private versus public identities. Petronio’s follow-up study demonstrated qualitative analysis that this focus group used boundary access rules such as tacit permission, selecting circumstances and incremental disclosure as methods of revealing their sexual abuse experience. CPM was an effective method for assisting the children of Miramonte Elementary in the safe disclosure of details about their abusive experiences at the hands of Berndt.
The importance of recognizing and understanding the communication concepts at work in everyday situations is critical. The sexual abuse of students at Miramonte Elementary School demonstrates common interpersonal communication concepts such as controlling the communication climate; the use of “We” language; and the expressed struggles and interdependence of managing conflicts. Children often communicate conflict using primarily non-verbal cues. Identifying the interdependent relationships of trust and power that children develop with authority figures and how they can be misused is key to interpreting those non-verbal cues and keeping children safe.
This research project focuses on “the cult of the offensive” that developed within German militarism, its crucial role in her rise to prominence in Europe, and the consequences for Germany, and for Europe, when a military culture dictates domestic and foreign policy.
Extensive research examines the German how as a roadmap to understanding and explaining the Germany why. In analyzing the how, it becomes possible to reroute traditional conversations on the pure mechanics of German militarism by historians such as Gerhard Ritter and Gordon Craig; into a conversation that focuses on how the ideologies of military theorists such as Clausewitz and the Elder Moltke shaped the cultural mindset. Two of the most influential German thinkers -- Nietzsche and Treitschke – built and expanded on this “cult of the offensive,” and translated it into the egoism of Germany’s pre-determination for “greatness.”
Wilhemine Germany was unique in embracing offensive rather than the defensively minded strategies adopted by the other great Powers of the era: England, France and Russia. Polices which had kept the European peace for almost one hundred years. The crowning achievement of the German “cult of the offensive” was the development of the most famous war plan in history – the Schlieffen Plan - named for its creator and architect, Alfred von Schlieffen, Chief of the German General Staff between 1891 and 1905.
With her geography at heart of Central Europe, and with no natural defensive barriers such as mountains or waterways, the German states had a long-developed fear of encirclement; and by 1900, her enemies included France in the West, and Russia in the East. Schlieffen Plan’s was an aggressive first-strike should Imperial Germany be forced to fight a war on two fronts.
The driving force of Schlieffen’s Plan was speed; Germany must quickly and decisively defeat the French, so she could turn the full force of her attention towards Russia, within six weeks. A key element of the Plan called for the invasion neutral Belgium in order to facilitate an attack on France that would sandwich the French armies between a strong left German flank and even stronger right one. Schlieffen was a brilliant strategist and meticulously planned and choreographed every detail down to the hour. The German government and High Command believed that with the Schlieffen Plan in their back pocket, when - not if- war came, German victories would be swift and crushing. With “cult of the offensive” tactics, Germany could not loose.
Reliance was so heavy on Schlieffen’s war planning that no contingencies were considered. The Plan was exhaustive but left no flexibility for an enemy who might behave differently than expected; or battles which might take longer than anticipated. In prizing speed and an aggressive first-strike above all else, any disruptions or delays in the prescribed timetable became deadly.
This research reaffirms that it is inaccurate to say that the Schlieffen Plan lost the Great War for Germany however; it did contribute considerably. Moreover, it was the unshakable confidence in the infallibility of the Schlieffen Plan that prompted Germany’s aggressive policies in the summer of 1914 and led her down a path of such deadly destruction that the Paris peacemakers found it necessary to include the punitive Article 231 – the German War Guilt Clause – in the Versailles Treaty. It is the harshness of Article 231 that laid the foundations for the Third Reich and a second world war a mere 21 years later.