Happy Bobby Bonilla Day!

Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! Happy Bobby Bonilla Day!If you struggle to understand how compound interest can help build your retirement savings, youll find Bobby Bonilla Day very instructive.Here on the OppLoans Financial Sense blog, we write a lot about how people can fix their credit scores, build their savings, and generally improve their long-term financial outlook. But sometimes it’s fun to write aboutâ€"wellâ€"the opposite of that: People who luck into ridiculously sweet financial situations where all they have to do is sit back and watch the money roll in.On that note: Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! It’s by far the world’s #1 niche sports-finance-based holiday, a time to sit back and reflect on the two most incontrovertible truths that govern this vast and mysterious universe of ours: First, that former Major League Baseball star Bobby Bonilla has it made in the shade; second, that the New York Mets are very bad at business.What is Bobby Bonilla Day?Bobby Bonilla Day falls on July 1st because that is the day, every year, that the New York Mets pay Bobby Bonilla $1.19 million. If that sounds like it’s a fairly run-of-the-mill arrangement, it helps to note that Bonilla has not played in the MLB since 2001 and hasn’t played for the Mets since 1999.The first Bobby Bonilla was celebrated in 2011 and the final Bobby Bonilla day will be commemorated in 2035. In that timespan, Bonilla will collect a whopping $29.8 million from the Mets, all for doing absolutely nothing! Sounds like a pretty sweet gig right? So what happened?!Deferred payments and compound interest.Bobby Bonilla was a very good baseball player. He played in the Major Leagues from 1986 to 2001, collecting six All-Star appearances and three Silver Sluggers along the way. He even won a World Series ring with the 1997 Florida Marlins. But the following year, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers midseason who then traded him to the New York Mets the following November.Bonilla had already played with the Mets from 1992 to 1995, but this reunion was not exactly a happy one as Bonillas declining play leading to numerous clashes with Mets manager Bobby Valentine. After the 1998 season concluded, the Mets decided to wash their hands of Bonilla entirely and release him from his contract.There was only one problem: Bonilla was still owed $5.9 million on said contract. Under these circumstances, teams who cant find a trade partner will simply pay out the rest of the player’s contract in order to get him out of the clubhouse. If the player is eager to leave the franchise as well, their agent can also negotiate a smaller payout in order to facilitate their release.What Bonilla’s agent did in this case, however, was slightly different. (Okay, okay, it was a lot different.) Bonilla’s agent, Dennis Gilbert, offered to have Bonilla defer payment for a full decade. In return, the Mets would let that $5.9 million accrue interest at a rate of eight percent annually starting in the year 2000. It’s similar to the structure seen in many life insurance contractsâ€"a fact likely owing to Gilberts previous work as an  insurance agent.After the decade had passed, Bonilla would then start collecting a portion of the money every year until 2035. If you’ve ever wondered how compounding interest works on your retirement savings, this deal is a great example: That eight percent annual interest rate on Bonilla’s salary turned $5.9 million into $29.8 million overall.Bonilla took his first payout on July 1st, 2011. Now, every year, July 1st is celebrated as Bobby Bonilla Day by an incredibly esoteric blend of hardcore baseball nerds, finance aficionados, and aggrieved Mets fans (otherwise known as … Mets fans). For reference, the Mets are paying Bonilla over twice as much in 2019 as they are paying rookie Pete Alonso, whose 27 home runs are good for second in the National League.How did this deal work out for the Mets?Frankly: not well!If attaching an eight percent annual interest rate onto the remaining money in Bonilla’s contract seems like a curious decision by Mets owner Fred Wilpon, it helps to understand some of the surrounding contexts.At the time that they agreed to defer Bonillas contract, the Wilpon family was invested in an absolutely superb New York investment fund that was enjoying unheard of annual returns of 12 to 15 percent. So even with that eight percent annual interest rate tacked on, they were still coming out ahead!Here’s the problem. That fund’s improbable-seeming success was all thanks to one man: Bernie Madoff. Oops! Those returns that the Wilpon’s had been enjoying were actually just funds from new investors being passed off as profits. When Madoff’s multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis, it took approximately $500 million of the Wilpon family’s money with it.Here’s the kicker: This is actually the second set of deferred payments that Bonilla has with the Mets. When they traded Bonilla to the Ori oles in 1995, the two teams split a $12.5 million payment between them into 25 separate installments. Bonilla received his first payment in 2004 and will receive his last payment in 2028 for a total of $15.3 million.Be like Bobby.If you’re debating whether or not you should start contributing to your retirement account, take the lesson of Bobby Bonilla Day to heart. Putting that money aside now and adding some compounding interest to the mix will result in a lot more money down the line. It probably won’t be worth $1.19 million a year, but it’ll still be well worth the wait.To learn more about the financial side of sports, check out these other posts and articles from OppLoans:Pro Athletes Make a Lot of Money, and Free Agency Is a Big Reason WhyFrom Rags to Riches: A Financial History of the NFL10 Money Lessons From the Worst Contracts in NBA HistoryWhy NFL Stars Often Make Less Than Pretty Good MLB PlayersDo you have a   personal finance question youd like us to answer? Let u s know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |  Instagram

State of Nature and Social Contract - 1323 Words

Hobbes and Locke are the founders of social contract theory, Hobbes’ Leviathan was the first political philosophy to discuss social contract theory and the state of nature followed by John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, both of their theories are distinct form each other but yet related. Hobbes and lock are both considered the first classical liberals, they differed from other classical philosophers because of their individualistic society, rather than a communal society that promotes the moral way to live one’s life. According to classical liberalism the government should not promote morality, rather to only protect people’s rights to pursue their desires. They both believed that man was born free and equal, and has the right to choose who governs them. Hobbes believed in a minimalist government that promotes the rights of individuals to life and freedom of movements, while Locke also believes in an even more limited government that promotes life liberty and property. Lock and Hobbes differ in their conception of social contract but they both agreed on the central idea that in the state of nature people â€Å"would willingly come together to form a state†, but they disagreed over the government’s extent to implement order and liberty. Hobbes saw the sovereign as a beneficiary in a mutual agreement between the citizens, while Locke believed the sovereign himself is a party to the contract. Hobbes believed that the government must be very strong, to keep order and setShow MoreRelatedSocial Contract Theory And The Transition From State Of Nature1599 Words   |  7 PagesI’m going to discuss the Social Contract theory, and how the transition from State of Nature to government was considered a contract. Was there ever a timeframe when men lived outside of social orders and how was it? , How did men get away from that period and go into another time of social orders? Was it through power or shared understa nding? Once a type of government is picked or selected, who runs it and is the privileges of the individual safeguarded? Social contract hypothesis, almost as oldRead MoreThe Meaning Of Human Nature870 Words   |  4 PagesThe Meaning of Human Nature The social contract seems to be open to be an ideology that is left to interpretation by everyone that has either wrote or read about it based on their individual definitions of what it means to be in the state of nature. Throughout this course we began with Thomas Hobbes, whose beliefs seemed quite ridiculous at times, but his ideas about what it meant to be a person in the state of nature, were supported by what he believed to be true. Much like when Jean-Jacques RousseauRead MoreThe Social Contract : Hobbes Vs. Rousseau1457 Words   |  6 PagesThe Social Contract: Hobbes vs. Rousseau Since the beginning of the modern age, governments and states have existed in order to maintain moral law. Essentially these institutions are for the greater good of humanity. However, little thought is ever given to how humans lived without governments. Each and every person in the modern age is born into a state, and becomes a part of that state regardless of their will. The concept that humans are born into a state is derived from the social contract. TheRead MoreSocial Contract And The Civil Society979 Words   |  4 Pages The social contract and the push for individuals to enter it rely on some conception of a state of nature. Whilst the expected behaviour of persons in the state of nature differs among the social contract theorists, the classical writings all share one common feature, a â€Å"generalised potential for threat† from other persons (Dicus 2015, p. 105). However, the nature of this threat in the hypothetical state of nature is not verifiable, as is the transition to civil society. The â€Å"signing† of the socialRead MoreSocial Contract Theory On The Origin Of State1110 Words   |  5 PagesSOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY Introduction: The social contract theory is one of the oldest theories on the origin of state. This theory came into existence as a reaction against the divine origin theory. The term ‘social’ is something which is connected with the society, while ‘contract’ means an agreement between two or more people. Thus a term of political theory, ‘social contract’ implies an agreement that makes society possible .this theory holds that the state is the voluntary and deliberate agreementRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory1357 Words   |  5 PagesThe social contract theory is the belief that people live in a society with an unwritten and socially accepted contract for a relationship between the people and their government. The people follow certain rules to protect themselves from violence and the like. The government in turn enforces those rules. In the absence of a social contract, the state of nature exists which citizens actions are governed by personal morals and beliefs. In any social contract people vest their rights to the authorityRead MoreThomas Hobbes and John Lockes Varying Presentations of the Social Contract Theory1499 Words   |  6 Pagesand social contract theorists. Social Contract Theory is, â€Å"the hypothesis that one’s moral obligations are dependent upon an implicit agreement between individuals to form a society.† (IEP, Friend). Both Hobbes and Locke are primarily known for their works concerning political philosophy, namely Hobbes’ Leviathan and Locke’s Two Treatise of Government. Both works contain a different view of a State of Nature and lay out social contracts designed to neutralize the chaos inherent in that state. ThoughRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pages1a. The Social Contract Theory According to the Social Contract Theory, it suggests that all individuals must depend on an agreement/ or contract among each person to form a society, in which they live in. The concept emphasizes authority over individuals, in other words, the social contract favors authority (e.g. the Sovereign) over the individuals, because men have to forfeit their personal right and freedom to the government, in exchange for protection and security, which I will further elaborateRead MoreRousseau Analysis Essay688 Words   |  3 PagesThe Social Contract In ancient times all men lived in a state of nature until hardships and the necessity to form a civil society between one another became eminent. Jean Jacques Rousseau’s â€Å"The Social Contract,† analyses the steps and reasoning behind this transition. In Rousseau’s work he focuses on several key terms in order to define this transition clearly, they include: state of nature, social contract, civil society, general will, and the sovereign. It would be impossible to define theRead MoreDifference Between Hobbes And Rousseau890 Words   |  4 Pagesand Social Thought Second Essay: Prompt 2 The social contracts of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau differ from each other due to divergent concepts of the state of nature. All three theories are therefore the products of highly differential ideas of how people instinctively behave. Hobbes, the first of these philosophers to theorize about such topics, believed that humans, while being innately equal with each other, are brutish, cruel, and power hungry. Social contracts are then

Asian American Mythology The Dragon Dance And The Lion...

In all cultures dance is a form we use to express our feelings, tell our past, and show our hopes for the future. Dancing is when you move your body to the beat of the music, many use dancing as a form to communicate with others and it is something anyone can do. For the final group project, my group decided to focus on Asian American mythology. Mythology deals with storytelling and myths of a cultures history or traditions. Each culture has their own myths and they all use different forms to pass down these myths and stories from generation to generation. Chinese Americans have many stories they tell in the form of dance, two of which are the Dragon Dance and the Lion Dance. The Dragon Dance is a Chinese American folk dance that is†¦show more content†¦Not only is the dance performed during Chinese New Year, many perform this dance during business openings or wedding ceremonies all to bring positivity to the festivities. â€Å"Social interaction, action, knowledge, power, virtue and interdependent things and much are based on the supreme spiritual power of the Dragon† (Ranjan). The dragon is an important symbol for the Chinese and it is part of the reason why the Dragon Dance is so important to perform during great festivities. The Lion Dance is another dance that is greatly known within the Chinese community as well as the American community. The folktale that comes with the Lion Dance dates all the way back to the Han and Tang Dynasty were lions were not yet native in China. That was until the rulers of what is today Iran and Afghanistan sent these lions to Chinese emperors as a gift so that they would be able to trade with the Silk Road merchants. The legend goes that one day a strange creature named â€Å"Nien† came to China and terrorized all its men and beasts. The Nien was so powerful that the Chinese decided to turn to the lion for help; luckily the lion was able to scare the Nien away, but the Nien left screaming, â€Å"Beware! I will return to take my revenge!† it was true that the Nien would return, he returned a year later, but by then the lion had gotten extremely busy taking care of the Chinese emperor so that was when the people ofShow MoreRelatedSummary Article Nikes Dispute with the University of Oregon9247 Words   |  37 PagesSports by Bill Bowerman Bill Bowerman William J. Bill Bowerman was an American track and field coach and co-founder of Nike, Inc. He was a very successful track coach, training 31 Olympic athletes, 51 All-Americans, 12 American record-holders, 24 NCAA champions, and 16 sub-4 minute milers... and Philip Knight, and officially became Nike, Inc. in 1978. The company takes its name from Nike Nike (mythology) In Greek mythology, Nike , was a goddess who personified triumph throughout the ages ofRead Morepreschool Essay46149 Words   |  185 Pagesreport, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) calls for early educators to make play a regular part of the daily curriculum and be responsive to the needs of each student. In addition, a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics concludes that play is vitally important for healthy brain development. These reports, as well as many others, make clear that preschool children’s play and integrated learning are vital components of high-quality preschool

Human Resource Free Essays

The Department has also been chosen because the recruitment and training of employees is the responsibility of this department. Benefits of creative and lateral thinking include the setting of premium prices for new services and products as a successful new product can lead to large market share, it also increases shareholder returns. The innovative thinking of an individual can also motivate colleagues and boost their morale. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource or any similar topic only for you Order Now The barriers confronting creative and Innovative thinking can Include the devaluing of traditional ways of thinking and overlooking of an Individual’s creativity. Management of creativity and innovation helps in addressing international competition and gaining an advantage over other organizations that provide the same services and products. The creativity and innovative thinking also reduces the pressure over the process of business and the straightening of business process management. Introduction Creatively combined with Innovation when Implemented, helps In flourishing those rights tools that helps in not only growth of company but economy and the country as well. Diversity is the key for promoting innovation, adding to that brainstorming and lateral thinking, it develops innovation and creativity that reaps benefits for company which can be seen both in short term and long term. Creativity and innovation management has emerged as a new challenge for organizations all over the world. The creatively and Innovation of an organization Is very important nowadays because of the increasing international competition in every field for products and services. This assignment is on straightening the enhancement of creativity and innovative management that highlights the work of the Human Resource Department of any organization. This report provides some solutions that can be used for developing the creative thinking of an employee that adds to the productivity and growth of the organization. As mentioned earlier the chosen organization Is BP Insurance which Is a leading Insurance provider. BP Insurance Is famous for the friendly relations of employees and Human Resource Department. Because of this, BP Insurance attracts a large number of talented and hard working people. Innovation can be said to be one of the most desired goals of companies today, How to cite Human Resource, Papers Human resource Free Essays All multiple choice Example questions: 1 . Your company is currently faced with a labor shortage. You need to correct the situation, but want to choose an option that Is fast, yet can be â€Å"undone† when the shortage goes away (reparability). We will write a custom essay sample on Human resource or any similar topic only for you Order Now Of the following options, which one does NOT meet both of these conditions? A. Overtime B. New external hires c. Temporary workers D. Outsourcing Answer: B. New external Hires HARM Overview Three methods to assess whether HARM matters The resource-based view† of the firm What are some kinds of â€Å"resources†? What is a competitive advantage? What factors contribute to making resources valuable and that, in turn, give companies a competitive advantage? Study of 968 firms regarding their HARM practices conducted by Hustled (1995), Know the results – specific amounts/percentages. What Is psychological contract? HER Challenges The two general HER challenges that we discussed The two types of strategies cost leadership Their implications for managing employees Company characteristics as an organizational demand: Compare concerns between companies in different stages of development (young versus old companies) Organizational culture as an organizational demand: Definition Factors that shape culture Possible responses to injustice What are the implications of conducting the business in an ethically and socially responsible way Job Analysis The components that comprise Job descriptions The components that comprise Job specifications What is Job analysis Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other characteristics Definitions What characteristics are trainable and which ones are not (or, less trainable) Be able to apply this information to an example about who to hire Tools for Job analysis Types of tools (for example, Job Element Inventory) Pros and cons of each tool What is an organization chart? New database Job Design The four broad approaches to Job design Goals of each How each is conducted Process engineering, emotion Within the motivational approach, the Job Characteristics Model COM) terms mean The five core Job characteristics The three critical psychological states The goal of the motivational approach Trade-offs of the motivational approach The name of the survey used to compute a â€Å"satisfaction† score using the JACM Different between motivational and mechanical From the article â€Å"Why Silicon Valley is Rethinking the Cubicle Office,† what Job design is MOST applicable to Intel’s switch from cubicles to an open office design Planning Planning process benchmarking Definition of labor demand and labor supply What is transition matrix What is productivity ratio Read â€Å"outsourcing† Which options are faster Which options result in human suffering Specific options for how to correct a shortage Which options are revocable (can be â€Å"undone† when the shortage is corrected) Recruitment Succession management Non-compensation strategy?compromise Recruiter has influence on 2nd interview Risk-not 100% sure Employee inventory (data base)– skills set, go back to inventory whoso proficient and pick Four factors that make organizations more or less attractive to candidates With regard to vacancy characteristics, three potential decision-making strategies that candidates might use to decide which Job to accept The three policies that affect vacancy desirability The outcome upon which recruiter characteristics has an impact What are advantages and disadvantages of using internal and external recruitment sources Realistic Job previews What are they What can they help improve What is succession management Extra credit. How to cite Human resource, Papers

Squirrels free essay sample

Squirrels live on trees * They eat nuts and seeds * They are small bushy tailed animal New Words I Learned: * Gambol- leap playfully * It is well worth while to attract them near the house so that one may enjoy the sight their gambols and minister to their wants by suitable diet. Frolic- play lightheartedly * Then the window was opened and the nuts put on a table inside the room, and there little Frolic sits whilst we are at meals and forms one of the family * Whilst- while * Then the window was opened and the nuts put on a table inside the room, and there little Frolic sits whilst we are at meals and forms one of the family * Agile- mentally quick. One would not think she could catch the agile little creature. * Nectarines- smooth-skinned peach They certainly nibble the young shoots of firs and horse-chestnuts unmercifully in the spring, and one very dry summer they took very kindly to our peaches and nectarines. We will write a custom essay sample on Squirrels or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Things I learned from the topic: * The squirrels great enemy is the cat. * They chase each other round a tree-stem with wonderful agility * They express their animosity with angry grunts and a stamp of the foot like a rabbit. * I have learnt that the squirrels tail has quite a language of its own. The most interesting thing I learned about the topic: I have learnt that the squirrels tail has quite a language of its own. It can be curved over its back and so spread out that on a wet day it forms a complete shelter from rain. It will take the form of a note of interrogation or lie flat on the ground, stand out at an angle or bristle with anger, according to the mood of the possessor. I think the essay did a good job of teaching me about the topic Because I knew about squirrels!

Manager Roles and Skills Essays

Manager Roles and Skills Essays Manager Roles and Skills Essay Manager Roles and Skills Essay Describe three different roles of a manager; what skills are essential to perform these roles? Ans: Many people say, that â€Å"management is what managers do† While that’s true, it doesn’t tell us much unfortunately. So in order to understand the concept of management, you have to understand what managers do. There are three specific categorization schemes to explain what managers do, result of many years of research and study: Roles (Henry Mintzberg) Skills (Robert L. Katz) There are three different management roles, which can be subdivided in ten more categories, which I am going to discuss here. Management Roles: Henry Mintzberg is a well know researcher, and the results of his studies about the work of managers were published in The Nature of Managerial Work (New York: Harper Row, 1973). The term management roles refers to specific categories of managerial behavior, and Mintzberg concluded that what managers do, can be described by studying ten different and interrelated roles, grouped around interpersonal relationships, transfer of information, and last, but not least, decision making. Interpersonal Roles The ones that, like the name suggests, involve people and other ceremonial duties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leader – Responsible for staffing, training, and associated duties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Figurehead – The symbolic head of the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Liaison – Maintains the communication between all contacts and informers that compose the organizational network. Informational Roles Related to collecting, receiving, and disseminating information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monitor – Personally seek and receive information, to be able to understand the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disseminator – Transmits all import information received from outsiders to the members of the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spokesperson – On the contrary to the above role, here the manager transmits the organization’s plans, policies and actions to outsiders. Decisiona l Roles Roles that revolve around making choices.   Ã‚           Entrepreneur – Seeks opportunities. Basically they search for change, respond to it, and exploit it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Negotiator – Represents the organization at major negotiations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Resource Allocator – Makes or approves all significant decisions related to the allocation of resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disturbance Handler – Responsible for corrective action when the organization faces disturbances. It’s worth to mention that Mintzberg also considered that as managers perform the roles described above, their activities include reflection and action. Reflection (also called thoughtful thinking) because managers think, ponders and contemplates about their decisions. Action (or practical doing) because every time they act, they are doing something, they are applying their decisions. Mintzberg’s approach is debatable, but several studies that tested the Management Roles categories in different types of organizations support the idea that managers do perform similar roles. What does change is the emphasis given to each role that may vary depending on the organizational level. Management Skills: A managers job is varied and complex. Managers need certain skills to perform the duties and activities associated with being a manager. What type of skills does a manager need? Research by Robert L. Katz found that managers needed three essential skills. These are technical skills, human skills and conceptual skills. Technical skills include knowledge of and proficiency in a certain specialized field, such as engineering, computers, financial and managerial accounting, or manufacturing. These skills are more important at lower levels of management since these managers are dealing directly with employees doing the organizations work. Human skills involve the ability to work well with other people both individually and in a group. Because managers deal directly with people, this skill is crucial! Managers with good human skills are able to get the best out of their people. They know how to communicate, motivate, lead, and inspire enthusiasm and trust. These skills are equally important at all levels of management. Finally conceptual skills are the skills managers must have to think and conceptualize about abstract and complex situations. Using these skills managers must be able to see the organization as a whole, understand the relationship among various subunits, and visualize how the organization fits into its broader environment. These skills are most important at top level anagement. A professional association of practicing managers, the American Management Association, has identified important skills for managers that encompass conceptual, communication, effectiveness, and interpersonal aspects. These are briefly described below: Conceptual Skills: Ability to use information to solve business problems, identification of opportunities for innovation, recognizing problem a reas and implementing solutions, selecting critical information from masses of data, understanding the business uses of technology, understanding the organizations business model. Communication Skills: Ability to transform ideas into words and actions, credibility among colleagues, peers, and subordinates, listening and asking questions, presentation skills and spoken format, presentation skills; written and graphic formats Effectiveness Skills: Contributing to corporate mission/departmental objectives, customer focus, multitasking; working at multiple tasks at parallel, negotiating skills, project management, reviewing operations and implementing improvements, setting and maintaining performance standards internally and externally, setting priorities for attention and activity, time management. Interpersonal Skills: Coaching and mentoring skills, diversity skills; working with diverse people and culture, networking within the organization, networking outside the organization, working in teams; cooperation and commitment. Conclusion: In todays demanding and dynamic workplace, employees who are invaluable to an organization must be willing to constantly upgrade their skills and take on extra work outside their own specific job areas. There is no doubt that skills will continue to be an important way of describing what a manager does. Q # 2: Contrast between Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning theories of learning. Give suitable example for each. Ans: 1. Classical Conditioning: If a stimulus that results in an emotional response is repeated alongside another stimulus which does not cause an emotional response, eventually the second stimulus will result in the same emotional response. Classical Conditioning is thus ‘learning by association’. In more detail, we are pre-conditioned to unconditionally respond in certain ways to stimuli. For example a sudden noise (an unconditional stimulus, US) makes us flinch (the unconditional response, UR). If a movement is made at the same time as, or just before the noise, such as moving hands to clap loudly (conditional stimulus, CS), then the person will learn to flinch when the movement is made without the noise necessarily being there (the conditional response, CR). Thus the association is made between the US and CS, with either stimulating the same response. Classical Conditioning  does not work in all circumstances. In particular it is more effective where the conditioning may be of evolutionary benefit. Experiment: Pavlov did famous experiments with dogs, ringing a bell and then feeding them. After a while, he could ring the bell and their mouths would salivate. Garcia and Koelling (1966) showed that rats soon learned to avoid a sweet: I liked my aunt, she always made me feel warm and wanted. She always wore a particular perfume. When I smell the perfume now, I immediately feel warm and wanted. So what? Using it If you want to persuade someone to do something, get them to do it at the same time as doing something they like doing. Do something specific every time they do something you want (like touching them somewhere or making a specific sound). Then do that specific thing and theyll think of doing the desired behavior. Defending Watch out for people repeatedly touching you or having strange behaviors. Check that theyre not trying to program you. 2. Operant Conditioning: A behavior will increase if it is followed by positive reinforcement. It will decrease if it is followed by punishment. Operant Conditioning is thus ‘learning by consequences’. Whereas Classical Conditioning involves automatic, pre-programmed responses, Operant Conditioning involves learned behaviors. Also, whilst Classical Conditioning associates two stimuli, Operant Conditioning associates a stimulus and a response. Favorable circumstances are generally known as reinforcing stimuli or reinforces, whilst unfavorable circumstances are known as punishing stimuli or punishers. Operant Conditioning is also known as Instrumental Conditioning. Experiment: Skinner put rats and pigeons in a box where pressing a lever resulted in food being dispensed. From accidental knocking of the lever, they quickly learned to deliberately press it to get food. Example: Parents often try to balance praise and punishment. To be effective, they should punish only behaviors they wish to extinguishthey should not punish for not doing what should be done. So what? Using it: If you want someone to work harder, do not punish them when they do not work- reward them when they do. If you want them to stop smoking, make it unpleasant when they do rather than pleasant when they refrain. men

Battle of Gazala in World War II

Battle of Gazala in World War II The Battle of Gazala was fought May 26 to June 21, 1942, during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II (1939-1945). Despite having been thrown back in late 1941, General Erwin Rommel began pushing east across Libya early the following year. Responding, Allied forces constructed a fortified line at Gazala which extended south from the Mediterranean coast. On May 26, Rommel opened operations against this position by attempting to flank it from the south with the goal of trapping Allied forces near the coast. In nearly a month of fighting, Rommel was able to shatter the Gazala line and send the Allies retreating back into Egypt. Background In the wake of Operation Crusader in late 1941, General Erwin Rommels German and Italian forces were compelled to retreat west to at El Agheila. Assuming a new position behind a strong line of fortifications, Rommels Panzer Army Afrika was not attacked by British forces under General Sir Claude Auchinleck and Major General Neil Ritchie. This was largely due to the British need to consolidate their gains and build a logistical network after an advance of over 500 miles. Largely pleased with the offensive, the two British commanders had succeeded in relieving the siege of Tobruk (Map). Major General Neil Ritchie (center) addressing other officers in North Africa, May 31, 1942. Public Domain As a result of the need to improve their supply lines, the British reduced their frontline troop strength in the area of El Agheila. Probing the Allied lines in January 1942, Rommel found little opposition and began a limited offensive east. Retaking Benghazi (January 28) and Timimi (February 3), he pushed on towards Tobruk. Rushing to consolidate their forces, the British formed a new line west of Tobruk and extending south from Gazala. Beginning at the coast, the Gazala line extended 50 miles south where it was anchored on the town of Bir Hakeim. To cover this line, Auchinleck and Ritchie deployed their troops in brigade-strength boxes which were linked by barbed wire and minefields. The bulk of the Allied troops were placed near the coast with progressively fewer as the line extended into the desert. The defense of Bir Hakeim was assigned to a brigade of the 1st Free French Division. As the spring progressed, both sides took time to resupply and refit. On the Allied side, this saw the arrival of new General Grant tanks which could match the German Panzer IV as well as improvements in coordination between the Desert Air Force and troops on the ground. Rommels Plan Assessing the situation, Rommel devised a plan for a sweeping flank attack around Bir Hakeim designed to destroy the British armor and cut off those divisions along the Gazala Line. To execute this offensive, he intended the Italian 132nd Armored Division Ariete to assault Bir Hakeim while the 21st and 15th Panzer Divisions swung around the Allied flank to attack their rear. This maneuver would be supported by the 90th Light Afrika Division Battle Group which was to move around the Allied flank to El Adem to block reinforcements from joining the battle. Fast Facts: Battle of Gazala Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: May 26-June 21, 1942Armies Commanders:AlliesGeneral Sir Claude AuchinleckMajor General Neil Ritchie175,000 men, 843 tanksAxisGeneral Erwin Rommel80,000 men, 560 tanksCasualties:Allies: approx. 98,000 men killed, wounded, and captured as well as around 540 tanksAxis: approx. 32,000 casualties and 114 tanks Fighting Begins To complete the attack, elements of the Italian XX Motorized Corps and 101st Motorized Division Trieste were to clear a path through the minefields north of Bir Hakeim and near the Sidi Muftah box to supply the armored advance. To hold Allied troops in place, the Italian X and XXI Corps would assault the Gazala Line near the coast. At 2:00 PM on May 26, these formations moved forward. That night, Rommel personally led his mobile forces as they began the flanking maneuver. Almost immediately the plan began to unravel as the French mounted a vigorous defense of Bir Hakeim, repelling the Italians (Map). A short distance to the southeast, Rommels forces were held up for several hours by the 7th Armoured Divisions 3rd Indian Motor Brigade. Though they were forced to withdraw, they inflicted heavy losses on the attackers. By midday on the 27th, the momentum of Rommels attack was faltering as British armor entered the battle and Bir Hakeim held out. Only the 90th Light had clear success, over-running the 7th Armoured Divisions advance headquarters and reaching the El Adem area. As fighting raged over the next several days, Rommels forces became trapped in an area known as The Cauldron (Map). Turning the Tide This area saw his men trapped by Bir Hakeim to the south, Tobruk to the north, and the minefields of the original Allied line to the west. Under constant assault by Allied armor from the north and east, Rommels supply situation was reaching critical levels and he began to contemplate surrender. These thoughts were erased when early on May 29 supply trucks, supported by the Italian Trieste and Ariete Divisions, breached the minefields north Bir Hakeim. Able to re-supply, Rommel attacked west on May 30 to link up with the Italian X Corps. Destroying the Sidi Muftah box, he was able to split the Allied front in two. On June 1, Rommel dispatched the 90th Light and Trieste divisions to reduce Bir Hakeim, but their efforts were repulsed. At the British headquarters, Auchinleck, fueled by overly-optimistic intelligence assessments, pushed Ritchie to counterattack along the coast to reach Timimi. Rather than oblige his superior, Ritchie instead focused on covering Tobruk and reinforcing the box around El Adem. On June 5 a counterattack did move forward, but Eighth Army made no progress. That afternoon, Rommel decided to attack east towards Bir el Hatmat and north against the Knightsbridge Box. Italian Ariete Division tanks at the Battle of Gazala, June 10, 1942. Public Domain The former succeeded in overrunning the tactical headquarters of two British divisions leading to a breakdown of command and control in the area. As a result, several units were severely beaten through the afternoon and on June 6. Continuing to build strength in the Cauldron, Rommel conducted several attacks on Bir Hakeim between June 6 and 8, significantly reducing the French perimeter. By June 10 their defenses had been shattered and Ritchie ordered them to evacuate. In a series of attacks around the Knightsbridge and El Adem boxes on June 11-13, Rommels forces dealt the British armor a severe defeat. After abandoning Knightsbridge on the evening of the 13, Ritchie was authorized to retreat from the Gazala Line the next day. With Allied forces holding the El Adem area, the 1st South African Division was able to retreat along the coast road intact, though the 50th (Northumbrian) Division was forced to attack south into the desert before turning east to reach friendly lines. The boxes at El Adem and Sidi Rezegh were evacuated on June 17 and the garrison at Tobruk was left to defend itself. Though ordered to hold a line west of Tobruk at Acroma, this proved unfeasible and Ritchie began a long retreat back to Mersa Matruh in Egypt. Though Allied leaders expected Tobruk to be able to hold out for two or three months on existing supplies, it was surrendered on June 21. Captured Allied soldiers march out of Tobruk, June 1942. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-785-0294-32A / Tannenberg / CC-BY-SA 3.0 Aftermath The Battle of Gazala cost the Allies around 98,000 men killed, wounded, and captured as well as around 540 tanks. Axis losses were approximately 32,000 casualties and 114 tanks. For his victory and the capture of Tobruk, Rommel was promoted to field marshal by Hitler. Assessing the position at Mersa Matruh, Auchinleck decided to abandon it in favor of a stronger one at El Alamein. Rommel assaulted this position in July but made no progress. A final effort was made the Battle of Alam Halfa in late August with no results.