Garret

December 20, 1967
War ravages many lands on this, the 1,967th birthday of He who is called the Prince of Peace.

It is appropriate, therefore, that we examine the nature of war and the prospects of peace before we take up the pleasantries of Santa Claus or even the inspirations of the Miracle Birth.

It is passing strange that so fundamental a human activity as war -- something that affects our lives deeply should be so little understood. There has grown up over the centuries a great deal of nonsense about the nature of war that interferes with our perspective. Not until we know the truth of war can we decide for peace.

From the personal view of those engaged in military combat, war is a nasty, negative business. General William Sherman is reported to have summed it up in an address before the Michigan Military Academy in 1979,

"I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell."

From this point on, however, let us examine war from the larger viewpoint of society for it is at this level that wars are made and ended. The first step forward in our quest for truth in this matter should be a realization that death and agony of individual participants has little bearing on the popularity of war. The advantages of war have to this date outweighed the horrors.

From studies of primitive peoples in isolated parts of the world today, anthropologists have deduced that our hunting and herding ancestors were accustomed to fighting for territory. However, tribal destruction was rare. Only warriors engaged in mortal combat. Possessions were not fixed in place so retreat was more sensible than a fight to the finish over territory that would be abandoned sooner or later.

Organized, sustained war is an invention of civilization with the same degree of ingenuity as the wheel, alphabet and bronze. It began with the discovery of wheat and establishment of permanent farming villages in ancient Sumer (Iraq) some six thousand years ago.

With the planting of crops and lists the building of houses, man was anchored and could not give way to aggressors. The acquisition, development and defense of new territory now required the coordinated efforts of members of ever larger groups. When conflict over territory occurred between two anchored groups, a "war" of death, destruction and subjugation was the easiest solution.

From history and anthropology we learn that war is not a carry-over from our animalistic beginnings. Rather, it is a comparatively modern institution invented and continuously improved for civilized goals.

There is no inherent tendency to war in the nature of man. Nothing in his psychological makeup drives him to wanton killing. Very few of Nature's creatures seek combat for the thrill of it, least of all primitive people whose existence is precarious at best. The most fearless of animals or nomadic hunters will retreat before fighting if given the opportunity.

War is only an institution serving man!

Contrary to popular thought, war is terribly efficient in advancing the interests of civilized groups. It is this very efficiency that makes war so frequently used. Time and again our decision makers have persuaded us to accept the hell of war because of the recognized efficiency of war for gain or for defense.

It must be admitted that under the demands of war we have accelerated our technology and social organization. It took man several millions of years as an independent, comparatively peaceful being to progress from stone hammers to farming.

Under six thousand years of "civilization" (literally: man of the city) we have come from mud huts to space rockets. The necessity of keeping up with Enemy Jones has spurred us to stupendous, inventive effort. What we call progress is due in large part --- but not wholly to the requirements of war.

Being an intelligent being, it is likely that man would have gone to the moon eventually, but in millions of years instead of thousands. Whether the acceleration in technology and supporting activities has been worth the sacrifice is a philosophical question only. Whether we wish to continue the pace is a pertinent question of great import.

Jesus preached the brotherhood of man as the instrument of peace. Cynics are wont to put down this thesis as impractically idealistic. Yet, logic if not faith -- compels concurrence with Jesus' wisdom.

In recent years, anthropologists have confirmed what Jesus declared nearly two thousand years ago -- that peace is dependent upon universal identification of man with the single group of man, and the sharing of wealth with those not having it. In non-theological terms it means peace will be possible when we no longer think of ourselves as Americans, or Moslems, or black men, or communists or any other distinguishable group.

Also, we must invent a better institution than war to resolve group conflicts in a manner that distributes available resources more or less equally to all men.

Different groups have different wants. Until we share equal standards and equal satisfactions, we will suffer from inter-group conflict and resulting inter-group aggression.

Continued

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who can be contacted at:

LinWms@earthlink.net

LinWms@lindseywilliams.org

Website: http://www.lindseywilliams.org with several hundred of Lin's articles written over 40 years, and his book "Boldly Onward," about the original explorers of America.

There are all sorts of resources available to people looking for the best mortgage rate and good mortgage rate information. Your local banker, a local mortgage lender who might be a broker, ads on TV, ads in magazines and papers, and in the internet-they are literally everywhere. Just remember that virtually everyone you talk to is trying to sell you something. The key is to find some reputable independent sources of information.

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In the age to steaming gadgets that govern your business it gets necessary to use the right way to communicate in business, that is, proper business communication. Today we send fewer letters than we used to do earlier but the speed and low cost of email has pushed the letter to extinction.

A primary role of emails, memos, letters, reports and proposals is to maintain good, relevant and timely follow of information within an organization and with its external publics. It plays a key role in business communication.

Any business writer can write emails, memos, letters and letters that communicate clearly and have impact. But that is not the actual business communication that prevails in the business world. Business people do not pay heed to the ethics of business communication. They write emails as thoughts occur to them and send emails without revising the words into coherent messages. As a result, business writing has come to excuse writing that is fragmented, incomplete, and full of careless language errors.

Here are certain tips to improve business communication:

1. Plan and organize:

One should have clear objectives while writing an email or a business letter. It should include everything that you are intended to write to give information to the reader in order to attain your objectives of proper and clear business communication.

2. Build the business communication infrastructure:

In business communication through emails, letters and memos write thanks, commendation and genuine statements of good that will build teams and partnership with clients. Use the tone and level of formality that fits the objectives and the reader, and convey your thoughts straight and firmly.

3. Prepare the reader for proper business communication:

Write the email or letter subject lines using words that alert the reader to contents, required action or critical information in the email. In the introduction explain everything readers need to know to understand fully why they are receiving the document. Describe all actions the reader is expected to perform, actions you will perform and any critical information that reader is expected to know. Summarize conclusions at the beginning. Write clear statements of contents at the end o introduction so that readers know what to expect and prepare them for reading, which will transform it from just communication to business communication.

Not only emails and letters but meetings also play a vital role in business communication. In any organization, meetings are a vital part of the organization of work and the flow of information. They act as a mechanism for gathering together resources from many sources and pooling then towards a common objective. They are disliked and mocked because they are usually futile, boring, time-wasting, dull, and inconvenient with nothing for most people to do except doodle while some opinionated has-been extols the virtues of his/her last great (misunderstood) idea.

Your challenge is to break this mould and to make your meetings effective. As with every other managed activity, meetings should be planned beforehand, monitored during for effectiveness, and reviewed afterwards for improving their management. A meeting is the ultimate form of business communication. One can organize the information and structure of the meeting to support the effective communication of the participants.

Thus proper business communication whether through writing or verbal i.e. through meetings can do wonders to the business. All that is needed is a skillful, flawless and effective way of business communication.

John Khu is an experience entrepreneur and internet marketer. He specializes in communication development and personal happiness.

http://www.communicationessence.com

Ryan Howard of the Philadephia Phillies was selected by the Major League Baseball players to receive the Player of the Year Award. Howard also won the National Leagues Outstanding Player award.

This is caused a lot of jubilation amongst the Phillies as it keeps their hopes alive for playoff in the National League Wild Card race.

Howard was also the National League Player of the Month for August and September. He set a club record for hitting the maximum number of home runs in a season. He beat the record of 48 home runs set by Mike Schmidt in 1980. Ryan Howard, a first baseman, also won the 2006 Home Run Derby at the PNC Park in Pittsburgh when he hit a total of 23 home runs to beat David Wright of the Mets.

Howard was selected to in his first All Star game and played in the Major League Baseball All Star Series in Japan which the MLB won. He won the Japan All Star Series Most Valuable Player award.

Howard is the fourth player from Phillies to win the Players Choice Award and the first ever player from Phillies who has been named the Player of the Year as well as National League Outstanding Player.

The winners of the Players Choice Awards are selected by all Major League baseball player through a secret ballot which is supervised by KPMG LLP, the financial firm. The winner has to chose a charity organization of his choice to receive a grant from the Players Trust which is not for profit foundation created and run by the players. The charity will receive a grant ranging from $20,000 to $50,000.

About the writer: Nigel Kerry is an American free lance writer born in Los Angeles, California. Kerry writes among others for Sportus.com - Sportsbook reviews, UsBookies.com - Sports Betting Online and Get-best-mortgage-loan.com - Mortgage lenders, get the best mortgage loan