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Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard To Find Essay

Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find is one of the most well-known short stories in American history. A Good Man Is Hard to Find is a disturbing short story that exemplifies grace in extremity as well as the threat of an intruder. The story tells of an elderly grandmother and her family who embark on a road trip to Florida. The grandmother is a stubborn old woman with a low sense of morality. While on the trip, the grandmother convinces her son to take a detour which results in a broken down car and an encounter with a convicted fugitive, The Misfit. Although the grandmother pleads for mercy, The Misfit kills off the rest of her family. Through the grace she finds in her extreme circumstance, the grandmother calls The†¦show more content†¦The Misfit is a looming threat according the grandmother and his eventual appearance causes a dramatic change to the family and to the grandmother’s stubborn views on life. O’Connor may have play ed on the United States’ fears at the time and used the time period to influence her plot. Flannery O’Connor was born to a devout Christian couple in Southern Georgia in 1925 (Gordon). Georgia is where she would spend much of her life and therefore acquire an excellent understanding of Southern life and mores. Flannery O’Connor was raised as a Catholic, which resulted in her strong sense of spirituality; which she incorporated into much of her work. Flannery O’Connor studied social sciences while in college before she began to participate in writing workshops and joined a masters’ program for creative writing (Gordon). When O’Connor began to write short stories and novels, she used an unconventional and rather dark approach which intended to shock readers in mid-1900 America. Flannery O’Connor claimed that Catholicism was at the heart of many of her writings and that the stories were only as harsh as the reality that is Christianity (Shmoop Editorial Team). O’Connor used this dark approach while writing A Good Man Is H ard to Find, portraying the grandmother’s cruel murder as the source of her salvation. O’Connor’s strong spiritual upbringing may have given her reason to write about the idea of grace andShow MoreRelatedFlannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay1418 Words   |  6 PagesThe Dysfunctional: Psychoanalysis of Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† Murder of women, children, and even a baby is a harsh image used by Flannery O’Connor in â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find.† The imagery is an effective literary device used to convey ironic tragedy, the struggle of female characters, and the family unit. The story follows a family on a trip to Florida when their journey, interrupted by an ill-fated detour resulting in a car wreck, ends in murder after they cross pathsRead MoreFlannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Revelation1436 Words   |  6 Pagesand racism, which is observed in the perspective of black and white individuals. Some of the most familiar southern authors are William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and Cormac McCarthy. One author in particular, Flannery O’Connor, is a remarkable author, who directly reflects upon southern grotesque within her two short stories, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and â€Å"Revelation.† These two short stories are very similar to each other, which is why I believe that O’Connor often writes with violent charactersRead MoreFlannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find1171 Words   |  5 Pages When one first begins to read A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O’Connor, one is assailed by the humorous petty grievances of a mother living under her son’s roof disrespected by her grandchildren and lonely in a house filled with people, clutching at memories of days long passed similar to the Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie. As the story unfolds one begins to see the indifference of Bailey toward his family in general and especially his mother—rightly so, as the ‘old lady’Read MoreFlannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay1071 Words   |  5 PagesFlannery O’Connor had her roots set in Milledgeville, Georgia, which happens to be one of many states that when combined, form what is known as the â€Å"Bible Belt† of America. I n respect to this, O’Connor talks about her beliefs: â€Å"This means that for me the meaning of life is centered in our Redemption by Christ and what I see in the world I see in relation to that† (O’Connor 482-483). As O’Connor was a devout Catholic, violence was not a direct preaching, but Joyce Carol Oates writes that â€Å"succumbingRead More The Misfit in Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find466 Words   |  2 PagesThe Misfit in Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find I feel that the Grandmother in the story A Good Man is Hard to Find suffers from psychological conditions. She does not care at all about anyone but herself. I feel that she may even be narcissistic. It is ironic because she would be expected to look out for her family. The Cambridge Dictionary defines narcissism as too much interest in and admiration for your own physical appearance and/or your own abilities It is ironic becauseRead MoreIrony and Foreshadowing in Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find1604 Words   |  7 PagesAs I read Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, I find myself being completely consumed by the rich tale that the author weaves; a tragic and ironic tale that concisely and precisely utilizes irony and foreshadowing with expert skill. As the story progresses, it is readily apparent that the story will end in a tragic and predictable state due to the devices which O’Connor expertly employs and th usly, I find that I cannot stop reading it; the plot grows thicker with everyRead MoreA False Reality in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find537 Words   |  3 Pages In most of Flannery O’Connor’s short stories a number of characters have a hard time seeing an ultimate reality in their life. They tend to have a distorted grasp on reality but not all in the same way. In the story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† the Misfit and the Grandmother are prime examples. The actions and the way of life of the Misfit and Grandmother are mostly due to the fact that they are living in an false reality where they are in their own little world, where in the Misfit’s worldRead More Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay example1357 Words   |  6 Pages Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find A Good Man is Hard to Find presents a masterful portrait of a woman who creates a self and a world through language. At least that is what Mary Jane Shenck thinks of the Flannery OConnor story. Several different people have several different views of this controversial and climatic work of OConnors. In this paper I will take a look at these different views of different situations and characters in this book. First we will take a look atRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†755 Words   |  4 PagesThe concept of being a â€Å"good† person has painted the picture of how people have handled their lives throughout history. On the same note, this concept has also been the subject of much debate; such is the case in Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†. The protagonist, the unnamed grandmother struggles to find the â€Å"good† in others and herself. O’Conner uses foreshadowing, characterization, and a distinct point of view to make her point. In my interpretation, her point is that only throughRead More Turns and Twists in Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find1230 Words   |  5 PagesTurns and Twists in Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find Irony is a useful tool for giving stories unexpected turns and twists. In Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard to Find, irony is used as a very effective literary tool; to guide the story in and out of what we think will happen. OConnor uses irony in this story to contradict statements and situations to expose a truth very much different from what we the reader would think to be true. OConnor use irony in several different

Customer Service in Restaurant Management

Question: Discuss about the Customer Service in Restaurant Management. Answer: 1. Identify the possible causes for the complaint and how it impacts on the customer Possible Cause Impact on Customer Undesirable service in spite of being a regular in the restaurant. The customer was before-handedly dissatisfied with the service as because they frequently visited the restaurant and didnt get served with the desired service, so they needed a major reason to make their complaint strong. So with the non-availability of the seat for some time made their complaint more substantiated. On the other hand, not every customer demand service worth of money, but they at least demand some good treatment for their money. So with the waiter who let them the space being blas and not apologetic gave them the chance to make their complaint more credible (Akroush et al. 2013). It was not a major reason but still to some customers it does matter. The impact of such a service often lets down the customer. Every customer demands a good service where he can enjoy it whenever he wants. The level of satisfaction is never complete but still to some extent it needs to be fulfilled. This was not so done in this case, and hence the customer demands a reply for such a service. This type of service also destroys the image of the restaurant in the eyes of the customer (Moreira and Silva 2016). Blas and not unapologetic behavior on the part of staffs of the restaurant. The customers did not have the desired dish they ordered, but the order which arrived eventually was not upto the mark. Non-availability of side sauce with the dish which did not appear at the time of service. This was also a major reason for their complaint. 2. Describe a communication technique that would be most appropriate for this situation Communication Technique Reason for Appropriateness Immediate response and communication to be performed from the end of restaurant. The communication technique which would be more appropriate in this would be as follows. The waiter must be responsive as soon as the customer arrives. May be the seats are not available, but if the waiter continuously talks with the customer and make him comfortable, that would put a good impression on the face of the restaurants. Moreover, the waiter needs to be alert and well responsive as soon as space becomes available because this would make the customer feel that he is given a level of importance which is a most important item when you want to satisfy your customer. The waiter should also be well-mannered and polite in his replies as because this would hide the faults in the eyes of the customer even if he commits one (Siu et al. 2013). Lastly, the waiter must be interactive about the dish provided to the customer and ask for any changes required in the future. This would put a better impression about the restaurant's feedback details. 3. Describe 3 strategies organizations can employ to reduce the severity and number of complaints Record and organizing meaningful complaints and grievances: More often than not one would see customers are always in a hurry. They may place an order in the eleventh hour and want the restaurant to deliver in a jiffy. The factual reality is frequent such requests often turn into demands. Helping customers are right in the context but haphazardly following their demands may not be a good idea (Marinkovic et al. 2014). Multiple messages from multiple clients with recurring concerns in somewhat challenging as far as the organization is concerned. The volume of complaints not only raises problems but also makes things tough for the management about what to do next. The organization needs to sort this type of feedback. The key is to prioritize the complaints according to the degree. The management should offer its team a meaningful way to take stock of meaningful complaints and take corrective actions over those. The rest may seem to be futile; hence those should be managed with less precedence (Llach et al. 2013). CARP Method: A useful method of dealing with upset clients can be best practices which are termed as CARP method. The CARP theory consists of C (Control), A (Acknowledge), R (Refocus), P (Problem solving). In other words, the management should take control stock of the situation with revealing measures that discloses the managements intention that they are willing to address the client concerns and grievances and resolve those. Acknowledge would mean that the administration perceives the client concerns and not washing hand off from the issue. Refocus is something that the firm should contemplate. It means that the management should refocus away from clients emotions to the doable solution at hand (Laperrire et al. 2016). In fine, solving the problem should be done, confirming that everything had been taken care of. Considering customers complaints seriously: This is where most of the entities falter. The management should learn to deal with client complaints or for that matter grievance. The team should maintain a professional approach when it comes to customer support. On the other hand, support may require support. It must be accepted that not all customers may be made happy. So the bottom-line is upholding a positive outlook which would ensure pleasant times to come by (Kokkinou and Cranage 2013). 4. What is the importance of organizations having a Customer Service Policy? The customer service policy should determine the relationship the entity may have which in turn would help the firm to retain the valued clients and function properly. Customer service departments require various ways to measure their success. Policies lay down service guidelines and train staffers to accomplish the set guidelines (Liang and Zhang 2012). Clients like to be treated like their money matters. Thus having a policy is imperative in this case. A service client policy is a way to formulate a standard that surpasses beyond expectations. A customer service policy is an effective tool to impart valuable guidance to the resources of the organization on how to implore information from clients aimed to improve services. Thus framing a customer policy would have the company in consideration to detect the problems that the firm may have missed and to resolve those problems before it escalates to a level where clients are lost due to derisory services. The firm should train its staffers to be problem-solvers and take into consideration various tactics required for retention of customers and improve word-of-mouth. The firms should involve all the employees as they interact with the customers more than the management. Hence, they would have a fair idea of what the clients expect from their experiences with the firm (Choi and Choi 2014). 5. Outline three reasons to welcome complaints Need of feedback: Firstly, every restaurant needs feedback from the customer so that they can improve their customer satisfaction skills on their part. So thats the reason the restaurants needs to welcome the complaints because if they dont, they will not find ways to improve their skills. Improvement in Branding: The major reason why the restaurants should welcome the complaint is that this would put a better branding in the face of the customer (Hudson and Hudson 2013). Customer handling complaints are the major merit for restaurants to have a long run future in the market and would enable them to earn more profits. Enhancement of business: The restaurant should welcome the complaint because that would bring him more customers which are so much required for his business. If the customer gets his complaint satisfied in his next visit, then that would enable the customer to bring his relatives as well as his friends on his next visit and would thus enable the restaurants to earn more customers. 6. As a manager how would you train your staff to best deal with customer complaints? Client complaints are a reality in food and beverage business. The manager of the firm should devise various plans of training the staffs to best deal with customer complaints. At the outset, the management should form a protocol that addresses common complaints and forms procedures to resolve the complaints (Dabholkar 2015). Staff members should be provided with copies of etiquette, and a training session may be conducted to facilitate them to respond appropriately to various complaints. Exercises may be conducted by the managers by asking the waiters and other staffs to collaborate with supervisors who would act as an unhappy client. Regular weekly meetings should be held to discuss client complaints and issues and concerns that the client servicing team may have encountered (Zhang et al. 2013). 7. As the Customer Relations Manager, draft a reply to this complaint 29/08/2016 Dear Mr. Smith, Thank you for taking time out to contact us for explaining the issues that you have encountered recently. We earnestly regret the inconvenience you have experienced and please be informed that we are sincere to retain you as our valued client. Based on our compliant and feedback our customer relations team is reviewing the information you have sent us. We vouch that our designated team is conducting a thorough investigation for resolving this issue. We are aware that you had to wait for as much as fifteen minutes for a table to be vacated. Secondly, our waitress offered blas behavior while serving the salmon dish you had ordered for. Also, the deserts and coffee were not offered which is a signature complimentary service on our end. Moreover, you were charged with a double bill for the salmon dish. We have taken cognizance of your issues and assure you of best services in your next visit. In fine, once our investigation gets over, please allow us to contact you and apprise you of the findings. We look forward to serving you in the coming months. Once again, thank you for reporting this incident. Yours Sincerely, Robert Dawson (Customer Relations Manager) Reference List Akroush, M.N., Abu-ElSamen, A.A., Samawi, G.A. and Odetallah, A.L., 2013. Internal marketing and service quality in restaurants. Marketing Intelligence Planning, 31(4), pp.304-336. Choi, B. and Choi, B.J., 2014. The effects of perceived service recovery justice on customer affection, loyalty, and word-of-mouth. European Journal of Marketing, 48(1/2), pp.108-131. Dabholkar, P.A., 2015. How to improve perceived service quality by increasing customer participation. In Proceedings of the 1990 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 483-487). Springer International Publishing. Hudson, S. and Hudson, L., 2013. Customer service for hospitality and tourism. Goodfellow Publishers. Kokkinou, A. and Cranage, D.A., 2013. Using self-service technology to reduce customer waiting times. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 33, pp.435-445. Laperrire, ., Messing, K. and Bourbonnais, R., 2017. Work activity in food service: The significance of customer relations, tipping practices and gender for preventing musculoskeletal disorders. Applied Ergonomics, 58, pp.89-101. Liang, R.D. and Zhang, J.S., 2012. The effect of service interaction orientation on customer satisfaction and behavioral intention: The moderating effect of dining frequency. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 24(1), pp.153-170. Llach, J., Perramon, J., del Mar Alonso-Almeida, M. and Bagur-Femenias, L., 2013. Joint impact of quality and environmental practices on firm performance in small service businesses: an empirical study of restaurants. Journal of Cleaner Production, 44, pp.96-104. Marinkovic, V., Senic, V., Ivkov, D., Dimitrovski, D. and Bjelic, M., 2014. The antecedents of satisfaction and revisit intentions for full-service restaurants. Marketing Intelligence Planning, 32(3), pp.311-327. Moreira, A.C. and Silva, P.M.F.D., 2016. Complaint behaviour by third parties: exploring service quality, customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth in health clubs. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 16(3-6), pp.152-171. Siu, N.Y.M., Zhang, T.J.F. and Yau, C.Y.J., 2013. The roles of justice and customer satisfaction in customer retention: A lesson from service recovery. Journal of business ethics, 114(4), pp.675-686. Zhang, Z., Zhang, Z. and Law, R., 2013. Regional effects on customer satisfaction with restaurants. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 25(5), pp.705-722.

Racism Essays (731 words) - Racism, Politics, Identity Politics

Racism "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character" (Martin Luther King Jr.) Ku Klux Klan. Neo Nazis. The Aryan Nations. The American Nazi Party. What are these groups? Why are they present in a land of supposed equality of all men? They are there because there are millions of Americans that believe in their message of white pride. The African American population is growing and Americans are now a mixed group of people. Black people are white people's neighbours, doctors, friends. With a growing unity between the two races, why does racism continue? The answer is simple. Racists from many years ago raise their kids in clans and white supremacy groups and teach them the ways of hatred. These kids grow up "brain-washed" that black people are their enemies and, taught by example, will continue this trend (The Volume Library; 1988). The Ku Klux Klan has been around since the end of the civil war. It is a roller coaster of a history. From extreme power, to rapid decline, and slow reemergence (Software Toolworks Encyclopedia; 1992). The clan, who is notorious for its violence, has a relatively innocent beginning. It was formed from some veterans from the confederate army and was first called the Kuklos Clan which, in Greek, meant Circle Clan. One person thought it would be a good idea to call it the "Ku Klux Klan" as a parody of the fraternity names which always had three Greek alphabet letters in it. They created the Clan to be mischievous and to do it without anyone knowing who they were which accounts for their costumes and masks. They, like most whites, were upset that the black people were free because black people were a constant reminder of the bitter defeat of the South. So to have fun they terrorized black people. Eventually the group grew, fluctuating, but grew to become the first white supremacy group in America and with that growth, their hatred grew as well into what was seen in the early and middle 1900's and what is seen today. Along with the KKK, other anti-black, pro-white groups formed and stemmed out all over the U.S.A. The Neo Nazis who are more commonly know by the term "Skin Heads", are a growing force in hate groups. There hatred of Hispanics, Jews, Blacks, and others are now the fastest growing force in America. The Skin Head movement is usually done by the younger kids. These kids are drawn to the Aryan Nations and Neo Nazis by the promise of free drugs, free booze, heavy metal music, ultimate freedom and rebellion. A lot of these kids stay because of family troubles at home and, like in a gang, feel like they have a family with the group and feel loved. "The skinheads are a family... A lot of us don't have what you'd call a home" commented Joshua, who is a 16 year old recruiter in California (United They Hate; Michael Kronenwetter). The race war was in full force by the 1960's. With the growth of white supremacy and their groups, black too had a weapon. Martin Luther King Jr. lead his people to march in Washington to end segregation and to form black unity for an equal and better America. Malcolm X, who was a Muslim, may have come from a different religion than his Christian counterpart, but had a very similar message and a similar fate. Both were assassinated. Today the hate groups of America have spread into Canada and are particularly common in Manitoba. The major sects are of the same name as their American cousins with a very similar message. Racism, despite much opposition, will never end. As long as there is fighting among a Jew and a Palestinian or hatred between a white and a black, Racism will be there. Only a utopian society can achieve such a dream. It is in human nature to have a few people that do not understand or possibly hate those who are different but, in fact, we are not different, we are judgmental and we are discriminatory,

Attitude Toward Women free essay sample

Even though in today’s society women play a major role in just about every career available, such acknowledgement hasn’t always existed. When Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller was written women played a totally different role. During this time period men have always been favored and believed to be superior of woman; still existing in such a way in some third world countries and even in Latin communities. In this story Miller tends to portray women in two different categories: the whores and the housewives. In this play Miller portrays women as extremely disrespected and merely used as sex slaves. The main female character, Linda Loman, is the typical wife of the early 20th century. She is there for her husband to offer her full support no matter what decision he makes. She is portrayed as being a patient, tactful, and considerate wife by showing her husband the lovely gesture of taking of his shoes to make him more comfortable. We will write a custom essay sample on Attitude Toward Women or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Willy even states that Linda is his â€Å"foundation and [his] support† (Pg #). Also Willy doesn’t seem to fully appreciate the wife he has. Whenever Willy complains about his arch supports killing him, Linda responds by telling him to â€Å"[take] an aspirin† and even goes as far as to ask him if she should get it for him, so it can soothe him ( Pg #). Yet Willy just ignores her suggestion and continues on with his story about him being fine while driving and observing the scenery. That conversation brings a dismissive attitude towards Linda. She does everything she can to fulfill her husband’s needs, yet she doesn’t receive the same treatment. Linda seems to be accepting of the role she plays in the Loman household. Miller portrays her as a very gullible woman who believes that her husband will provide everything she needs. That’s why when Biff finds out that his father has been having an affair with another woman he hides it from Linda, because he knows that such news would devastate her. Also this woman that Willy is having an affair with has the illusion that Willy will leave his wife for her. Apparently Willy is just using her as a sex slave because no matter what he always comes back to his wife and sons. Miller uses this woman along with two other women, Miss Forsythe and her friend, as sexual slaves, or whores. Due to the father figure that Happy has, he is bound to treat women the same way. Happy only cares about fulfilling his sexual need and does not want to be tied down in anything serious throughout his young age. (Pg#) So when he meets Miss Forsythe, he immediately puts his charm on and invites her to cancel on her date and join him later on that night for dinner. Even though he does not care anything for her he orders her to follow his suggestion because he knows that she can’t deny the fact that this charming man is trying to â€Å"meet up† with her later on that night. He also orders her to bring a friend so they can accompany him and his brother, Biff, as well as his father who would later be showing up to the dinner invitation, but have an early leave. The simple fact that she accepted and showed up to this â€Å"dinner† gives him the satisfaction of having power of these women. It can be assumed that Miss Forsythe along with her friend are both whores, and will later fall under the charm of Happy and give him sexual pleasure. (Pg #) Also in Act 1, both Biff and Happy, talk about women as trophies, or badges of honor. This seems to be the general attitude of men towards women, one of arrogance. As well as being ignored by her husband at certain times, Linda is not allowed to give her opinion unless Willy asks her, which based on the play it hardly ever happens. Linda tries to give her opinion on the whole Swiss/American cheese incident. Willy asks her why she got American instead of the Swiss cheese that he so ever liked. When she responds that maybe he would like the change he cuts her off and yells at her stating that he doesn’t want a change, and all he wanted was Swiss cheese. He even goes as far as saying that the room stinks and orders Linda to open the windows. Due to all his anger, he doesn’t realize that the windows are open, and Linda takes all this with infinite patience (Pg #). Anytime she tries to give her opinion she is always interrupted or she is shut down by her husband. Linda’s intelligence only goes as far as that of Willy’s because the man of the house is supposed to be the smart one. Being influenced by society she is always on the outside looking in. When she is around her sons her insight on things is clear but when she is around her Willy her vocabulary diminishes to, â€Å"Yes Dear. or â€Å"What, Dear? † In conclusion women may be considered a minority and not be acknowledge as capable of making any decision, such as Linda is. At the same time they can bring a great deal of power to this society, which as of today, has been proved very efficient. On the other hand, not much has change on the whole perspective on women used as sex slaves. As of today women are still giving sexual favors to many single and married men. Such things have not change but yet nothing in life ever changes completely.

Iraq War Military History - Battle of Fallujah

Iraq War Military History - Battle of Fallujah The Second Battle of Fallujah was fought November 7 to 16, 2004, during the Iraq War (2003-2011). Lieutenant General John F. Sattler and Major General Richard F. Natonski led 15,000 American and Coalition troops against approximately 5,000 insurgent fighters led by Abdullah al-Janabi and Omar Hussein Hadid. Background Following escalating insurgent activity and Operation Vigilant Resolve (First Battle of Fallujah) in the spring of 2004, U.S.-led Coalition Forces turned fighting in Fallujah over to the Iraqi Fallujah Brigade. Led by Muhammed Latif, a former Baathist general, this unit ultimately collapsed, leaving the city in the hands of the insurgents. This, along with the belief that insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was operating in Fallujah, led to the planning of Operation Al-Fajr (Dawn)/Phantom Fury with the goal of retaking the city. It was believed that between 4,000–5,000 insurgents were in Fallujah. The Plan Located approximately 40  miles west of Baghdad, Fallujah was effectively surrounded by U.S. forces by October 14. Establishing checkpoints, they sought to ensure that no insurgents were able to escape the city. Civilians were encouraged to leave to prevent being caught in the coming battle, and an estimated 70–90 percent of the citys 300,000 citizens departed. During this time, it was clear that an assault on the city was imminent. In response, the insurgents prepared a variety of defenses and strong points. The attack on the city was assigned to the I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF). With the city cordoned off, efforts were made to suggest that the Coalition attack would come from the south and southeast as had occurred in April. Instead, I MEF intended to assault the city from the north across its entire breadth. On November 6, Regimental Combat Team 1, consisting of the 3rd Battalion/1st Marines, 3rd Battalion/5th Marines, and the U.S. Armys 2nd Battalion/7th Cavalry, moved into position to assault the western half of Fallujah from the north. They were joined by Regimental Combat Team 7, made up of the 1st Battalion/8th Marines, 1st Battalion/3rd  Marines, the U.S. Armys 2nd Battalion/2nd Infantry, the 2nd Battalion/12th Cavalry, and 1st Battalion 6th Field Artillery, which would attack the eastern part of the city. These units were joined by about 2,000 Iraqi troops as well.   The Battle Begins With Fallujah sealed, operations began at 7:00 p.m. on November 7, when Task Force Wolfpack moved to take objectives on the west bank of the Euphrates River opposite Fallujah. While Iraqi commandos captured Fallujah General Hospital, Marines secured the two bridges over the river to cut off any enemy retreat from the city. A similar blocking mission was undertaken by the British Black Watch Regiment south and east of Fallujah. The next evening, RCT-1 and RCT-7, backed by air and artillery strikes, commenced their attack into the city. Using Army armor to disrupt the insurgents defenses, the Marines were able to effectively attack enemy positions, including the main train station. Though engaged in fierce urban combat, Coalition troops were able to reach Highway 10, which bisected the city, by the evening of November 9. The eastern end of the road was secured the next day, opening a direct supply line to Baghdad. Insurgents Cleared Despite heavy fighting, Coalition forces controlled approximately 70 percent of Fallujah  by the end of November 10. Pressing across Highway 10, RCT-1 moved through the Resala, Nazal, and Jebail neighborhoods, while the RCT-7 assaulted an industrial area in the southeast. By November 13, U.S. officials claimed that most of the city was under Coalition control. The heavy fighting continued for the next several days as Coalition forces moved house-to-house eliminating insurgent resistance. During this process, thousands of weapons were found stored in houses, mosques, and tunnels connecting buildings around the city. The process of clearing the city was slowed by booby-traps and improvised explosive devices. As a result, in most cases, soldiers only entered buildings after tanks had rammed a hole in a wall or specialists had blasted a door open. On November 16, U.S. officials announced that Fallujah had been cleared, but that there were still sporadic episodes of insurgent activity. Aftermath During the Battle of Fallujah,  51 U.S. forces were killed and 425 seriously wounded, while Iraqi forces lost 8 soldiers with 43 wounded. Insurgent losses are estimated at between 1,200 to 1,350 killed. Though Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was not captured during the operation, the victory severely damaged the momentum the insurgency had gained before Coalition forces held the city. Residents were allowed to return in December, and they slowly began rebuilding the badly damaged city. Having suffered terribly  in Fallujah, the insurgents began to avoid open battles, and the number of attacks again began to rise. By 2006, they controlled much of Al-Anbar province, necessitating another sweep through Fallujah in September, which lasted until January 2007. In the fall of 2007, the city was turned over to the Iraqi Provincial Authority.

A Debate that is related to Microeconomics Essay

A Debate that is related to Microeconomics - Essay Example It is important for economies to determine whether such ventures as minimizing IT will mean reduced operational costs and increased profits (which forms the core aim of all businesses) (Hubbard and Anthony, 377). Those who see IT as obsolete and replaceable say that the fact that almost all companies have embraced IT has removed the competitive edge it offers as a result of this ubiquity and is no longer important. IT, according to them, is therefore no longer a tool that a business can use as a tool for competition in the markets to advance itself above the rest. They therefore see it fit that companies that are wise and that have studied the times begin to swiftly reduce their spending on IT and focus on other ideas and innovations that can lead to originality and therefore serve as strength of a particular business against all the other market competitors. IT to them has simply become too old and basic and therefore expendable (Gravelle and Ray, 312). On the other hand, there are equally those who have vehemently argued against such claims of IT obsolescence. They state that IT comes with a plethora of benefits both to the consumer and the business itself. According to these proponents of IT, IT is irreplaceable in linking businesses and its consumers through the click of a button, a phone call or even email just to mention a few, while also offering a relatively easy source of information on the market trends, needs and preferences. It enables a company improve on service delivery and gain competitive advantage over others if superiorly utilized. IT also enables fast and efficient money transactions that are vital in the smooth running of any business set up, failure to which many businesses have crumbled prematurely (Hubbard and Anthony, 411). In my opinion therefore, IT remains important in businesses as it saves time and offers an