Chicago Cubs
The history of athletics and sports has been dominated by superstition. Players have lucky socks which they refuse to change for a whole season. Until they won the orld Series, Boston Red Socks fans were convinced that their favorite team had been cursed by a bad trade with the New York Yankees over Babe Ruth. This article concerns the fans of the Chicago Cubs who are equally certain that the only reason that their team has not won the orld Series because of a similar supernatural phenomenon, specifically a cursed stadium seat.

riter Matt Linder tells the story about a moment back in 2003 that changed the history of this franchise. Spectator Steve Bartman was sitting in the infamous seat: Seat 113 in Aisle 4, Row 8 at rigley Field when a foul ball came his way during the eight inning of the NLCS. Left fielder Moises Alou made a…...

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Works Cited:

Lindner, Matt. "Infamous Fan's Seat Considered Unlucky." (June 19, 2010). Retrieved from ESPN.com. Online.

WWII: Battle of Monte Cassino
History has been known to repeat itself. Today in Iraq for example, United States and Allied troops are torn when drawing up plans to win the war in the holy land. The problems stem from their not being able to directly attack certain Muslim holy locations or shrines even though Iraqi insurgents are constantly utilizing these positions as sanctuaries and initiation points for waging battles against the allied forces or the new Iraqi government. During World War II, the Axis powers with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi army also attempted to use similar tactics to fend off attacks by Allied forces.

This report discusses the Battle of Monte Cassino and the pros and cons of the Allied Forces' actions during World War II. A historic shrine was completely destroyed by the events of the Allied forces during the Battle of Monte Cassino in the Italian campaign of…...

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References

Colvin, David, & Hodges, Richard (1994). Tempting providence: the bombing of Monte Cassino. History Today, Vol. 44.

Eagle19. (n.d.). The Battles for Monte Cassino and the Defense of the Gustav Line. Retrieved October 15, 2004, at http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/cassino.htm

Griess, Thomas E. (2002). The Second World War Europe and the Mediterranean. The West Point Military History Series.

Hapgood, David, & Richardson, David (1984). Monte Cassino: The Story of the Most Controversial Battle of World War II. Add City: Add Publisher.

By attacking from the North, Hitler effectively bypassed France's only real defense against invasion. Within two weeks, Paris was under Nazi control, and still seething from the harsh terms of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, Hitler demanded that the surrender terms be signed in the very same spot as the armistice that ended that war, and in the very same railroad car, which he had brought out from its museum display for that purpose3. Belgium had surrendered to Germany without firing a shot, effectively dooming France to Nazi occupation, and nearly sealing the fate of more than a quarter million British troops sent to support Britain's ally, France. Only a last-

3. Hayes & Faissler p.444 minute scramble saved the British from capture, at the port city of Dunkirk, where the British used thousands of ships, boats, and dinghies to rescue them all and ferry them…...

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References

Commager, H.S., Miller, D.L. The Story of World War II: Revised, Expanded & Updated from the Original Text by Henry Steele Commager (2002)

Hayes, C., Faissler, M. Modern Times: The French Revolution to the Present (1966)

Kowalick, T.M. The Western Tradition Transcripts (1989)

Lukacs, J. The Last European War (1976)

Wilson, a student of public administration, favored more governmental regulation and action during a time when large monopolies still existed. He saw the role of public administration as "government in action; it is the executive, the operative, the most visible side of government, and is of course as old as government itself" (Wilson 235). The pendelum swung, though, and the government was blamed for many of the ills that caused the Great Depression. Franklin oosevelt, despite being called draconian, knew that he had to launch programs that would have a quick effect upon the struggling economy; resulting the New Deal -- a complex, interlocking set of programs designed to produce jobs, economic recovery, and fiscal reform of banking and Wall Street -- exactly what was needed, it seems to turn the Titanic in a new direction (Badger). Then, of course, came the war, which stimulated the economy like nothing…...

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REFERENCES

Badger, A. FDR - The First Hundred Days. New York: Macmillan, 2009.

Cooper, P. Public Law and Public Administration. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988.

Fesler, J. "Public Administration and the Social Sciences: 1946-1969." Mosher, F. American Public Administration: Past, Present, Future. Washington, DC & Birmingham, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 1975. 97-142.

Halberstam, D. The Fifties. New York: Ballantine, 1994.

orld Is Flat: The Impact of Globalization on the United States
In the best-selling book The orld is Flat, Thomas Friedman provides a well-researched series of chapters that detail how globalization and the congruency of cultures is making country-level differentiation more challenging to achieve. His contention is that globalization is being caused by the combination of Internet-based technologies and platforms, combined with low-cost labor and higher educational standards in emerging nations (Leamer, 115). Throughout the book he makes a very convincing argument that the United States has lost the ability to compete with its core strengths of intelligence and industriousness, and has become too complacent to the point of having an entitlement mindset (Harvey, Novicevic, et.al.). There are many implications for the United States throughout this book, with two disused below.

Analysis of Globalization's Impact on the United States

The most ironic and impactful examples Thomas Friedman provides in his book is that…...

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Works Cited

Harvey, Michael G., and Milorad M. Novicevic. "The World is Flat: A Perfect Storm for Global Business?" Organizational dynamics 35.3 (2006): 207-19.

Leamer, Edward E. "A Flat World, a Level Playing Field, a Small World After all, Or None of the Above? A Review of Thomas L. Friedman's the World is Flat." Journal of Economic Literature 45.1 (2007): 1-126.

Yet Mr. Friedman does not go to this depth of analysis and relies instead of lengthy, conversational passages in the book that could be trimmed and made more potent, relevant and valuable. The concept Mr. Friedman discusses of the Untouchables is altogether too elitist as well, and this chapter of the book is an illusion; there is no job safe in a globalized world. Only those willing to compete at exceptionally high levels and deliver exceptionally high levels of service, value and insight are going to survive. Globalization's safe harbors are exceptional knowledge, talent and intensity of focus. It is not merely due to the fact that someone is from a given nation. This is certainly the case in Saudi Arabia, where the growth of financial services firms from the United Stakes, the United Kingdom and other westernized nations are more dependent than ever on the Saudi economy as…...

FIBA orld Championship
History of the FIBA

Factors for Success

Data Driven Approaches

NBA Players

Team Culture

2013 Rankings 15

The FIBA has become the premier international basketball league in the world. Over the course of the last few generations the tournaments have been increasing their viewership and fan base. The level of competition in this league has also increased. Since 1989 the league has opened the doors to NBA players which not only increased the league's competitiveness but elevated the popularity of it as well. There are many different approaches to trying to discern which teams will be successful in the league. This analysis will look at statistical approaches as well as cultural approaches to provide insights into what constitutes a successful team in the FIBA.

History of the FIBA

The International Basketball Federation (French: Federation Internationale de Basketball), more commonly known by the French acronym FIBA, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in…...

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Works Cited

Canada, G. Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America. Beacon Press, 2010.

Card, D. And G. Dahl. "Family Violence and Football: The Effect of Unexpected Emotional Cues on Violent Behavior." The Quarterly Journal of Economics (2011): 103-143.

Chiari, M. "FIBA Asia 2013: Top Stars to Watch in Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament." 3 August 2013. Bleacher Report. Online. 5 December 2013.

Debate.org. "Are the Yankees the best baseball team ever?" N.d. Debate.org. Online. 4 December 2013.

The U.S. emerged as a leading superpower and the sole nuclear power in the world, determined to play a leading role in international politics. The post-Second World War era saw the start of a prolonged Cold War in which the U.S. competed for political domination around the world with Soviet Communism until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. The Second World War also helped the country to overcome the economic depression of the 1930s as its wartime industrial production stimulated its economy.
eferences

Arima, Y. (2003). "The Way to Pearl Harbor: U.S. Vs. Japan." ICE Case Studies:

Number 118, December, 2003. etrieved on May 26, 2007 at http://www.american.edu/TED/ice/japan-oil.htm

Dwyer, J.J. (2004). "The United States and World War I." Lew ockwell.com. etrieved on May 26, 2007 at http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig3/dwyer3.html

Keylor, William . (2007). "World War I." Encyclopedia Encarta Online. On May 26, 2007 at http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569981/World_War_I.html

Steiner, Z. (2001). 2 the Treaty of Versailles evisited. In…...

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References

Arima, Y. (2003). "The Way to Pearl Harbor: U.S. Vs. Japan." ICE Case Studies:

Number 118, December, 2003. Retrieved on May 26, 2007 at  http://www.american.edu/TED/ice/japan-oil.htm 

Dwyer, J.J. (2004). "The United States and World War I." Lew Rockwell.com. Retrieved on May 26, 2007 at  http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig3/dwyer3.html 

Keylor, William R. (2007). "World War I." Encyclopedia Encarta Online. On May 26, 2007 at http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569981/World_War_I.html

World War I and its Effect on the Middle East
The Europeans who had already colonized much of the area with post-World War I now spread further into the Middle East claiming further portions such as Arabia, Iraq, yria, Libya, and Palestine. The Constantinople Agreement followed by many more including the ykes Picot agreement over and again implemented covert agreements regarding lands that would go to each of the Allies. After the war, France received Lebanon and yria (

) even though yria herself preferred an American mandate (2), and Britain received land that included Palestine, Israel, Transjordan, and Iraq (3). The indigenous people themselves were never consulted regarding whom they wished to control them, and colonization, consequently, prompted Arabic nationalism.

Nationalism was, furthermore, created by the fact that the peace settlements imposed by the Allies after World War I broke up nation states and created others, confusing many who, originally believing…...

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Sources

Bloomberg.com. "U.S., U.K. Waged War on Iraq Because of Oil, Blair Adviser Says" Bloomberg.com, May 1, 2003

CBS.com. "Poll: Talk First, Fight Later." CBS.com, Jan. 24, 2003. Retrieved 1/17/2011.

DeNovo, J. American Interests and Policies in the Middle East (University of Minnesota Press, 1963)

Gelvin, J. History of the Modern Middle East (Oxford University Press, 2005)

He shows how the leadership style he asserts in the private sector is often hard to come by in public organizations. Many of the more competitive and assertive people are drawn to private organizations, as they offer more monetary gain and rewards. Additionally, the hedgehog concept is different in a private sector. Public agencies are not directed to pure profits, and so must be readjusted to work in different avenues within the public sector. These differences can be great, as he shows that nonprofit agencies cannot benefit from the same style of leadership and execution that private companies can.
However, criminal justice agencies do have a lot to benefit from the strategies that Collins presents within all of his works. Law enforcement can still benefit from the Hedgehog concept, although such strategies must be adjusted to rework economic benefits into social benefits. Essentially, the economic drives within the business structure…...

With a profound sense of the solemn and even tragical character of the step I am taking and of the grave responsibilities which it involves, but in unhesitating obedience to what I deem my constitutional duty, I advise that the Congress declare the recent course of the Imperial German Government to be in fact nothing less than war against the Government and people of the United States....America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other." (Woodrow Wilson's war message)

United States' entry bolstered the Allied forces and gave them extraordinary power over the German Imperial army. With America's entry into the war, things suddenly changed as we were was no longer spectators. The response from the public was however not overwhelming since it had been made…...

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References

President Woodrow Wilson's War message" accessed online 14th April 2005:

http://bss.sfsu.edu/tygiel/Hist427/texts/wilswarmessage.html

John Bach McMaster. The United States in the World War: D. Appleton & Company. New York. 1918

Middle East comprises a diverse group of regions, countries, peoples, customs, and cultures. On the one hand, it is daunting to offer a semester-long course that treats all Middle Eastern issues with clarity and fairness. The risk of oversimplification, however, is outweighed by the risk of ignorance. This course will explore the Middle East with as much depth and breadth as possible, stimulating student thought on political, social, religious, historical, ethnographic, and economic issues related to the region. Included in the course rubric will be current events ranging from gender issues to terrorism. In between the heavier topics, lighter lessons on local customs, culture, music, and food will reveal the ordinariness of daily life in the part of the world we call the Middle East.
Islam will be covered from a multidisciplinary perspective, allowing for nuanced and rich class discussions about the unique interface between politics, religion, and social norms.…...

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Anderson, Lisa. "Demystifying the Arab Spring." PDF Available:  http://www.ssrresourcecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Anderson-Demystifying-the-Arab-Spring.pdf 

Henry, Clement Moore and Springborg, Robert. Globalization and the Politics of Development in the Middle East. Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Kuran, Timur. "The Islamic Commercial Crisis: Institutional Roots of Economic Underdevelopment in the Middle East." The Journal of Economic History (2003), 63(2).

The demonstration in Tiananmen Square showed that there were alrge semgnets of the population that wanted change, but Deng's response was to crush the movement with violence and to assert the supremacy ofm centalzied rule once more..
These actions show some of the difficulties of independence and of developing a new political structure when many adhere to older political structures and ideas. One response is to try to wipe out the old with violence, but regimes tend to become reactionary about their own ideas as well and to crush any opposition, real of perceived.

9. Arab unity has not materialized for a number of historical reasons related to the different ways in which the countries of the region have developed so that the leaders of some of the states are wary of other leaders, because of differences in economic structures in the various countries, and because of different reactions to the…...

Regional Geography
hy could Africa be considered on of the richest continents on Earth? Discuss some of sub-Saharan Africa's Assets. Then address why, despite these facts, the majority of African states remain poor. Be sure to include several factors relation to this region's unique physical geography, complex human geography, history.

The spectrum of environments which exist in Africa spans entire moisture and temperature gradients, from perhaps the most arid to among the well-watered places on earth, from the coolness of the Cape to the furnace that is the Sahara. This environmental diversity is mirrored in the proliferation of its fauna and flora, for Africa has seemingly every conceivable combination of climatological, geological, and pedological factors; the plant and animal communities have evolved over time to reflect this heterogeneity. Moreover, it is an ancient continent that has provided a cradle for a wide range of taxonomic groups, from among the very first…...

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Works Cited

1. Chen-Young, et al. Transnationals of tourism in the Caribbean. London: Commonwealth Secretariat. 2001.

2. Richard Wiffin, William Phettipace, Anas Todkill; Imagining Distance: Spanish Explorers in America. Early American Literature, Vol. 25, 1990.

3. Stephen Zunes; The United States and the Western Sahara Peace Process. Middle East Policy, Vol. 5, 1998.

Tail
The theme and idea that Chris Anderson puts forward has made a huge impact on people involved with technology, with content, and with marketers. The thesis Anderson works with is that because of the digital revolution, which brought with it the ability of companies to sell products online (and avoid the costs of brick and mortar facilities), retailers like Amazon and Netflix have made enormous amounts of profits from selling items that are not necessarily popular mainstream items.

The country is past the age of big blockbuster movie and song hits, and niches are taking the place of the record stores, for example, that in the past would carry popular music. Today, a dizzying variety of music can be ordered online from Amazon or other digital retailers. As Anderson says in his "The Long Tail, in a nutshell," traditional retail stores go for stocking just those items on shelves that…...

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Works Cited

Anderson, C. (2006). The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More.

New York: Hyperion Books.

1. In the fantasy novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, heroism is portrayed as a journey of personal growth and self-discovery, as the protagonist Bilbo Baggins evolves from a timid hobbit into a brave adventurer.

2. The exploration of the vast and enchanting world of Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien serves as a metaphor for the characters inner exploration and development, showcasing how heroism is not just about physical feats, but also about inner strength and moral courage.

3. In George R.R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series, heroism is depicted as....