Concerns about Netflixs Death Note Can Supernatural Murder Translate to the States

Concerns about Netflixs Death Note Can Supernatural Murder Translate to the States The US can’t adapt anime. With a few exceptions, like the Power Rangers series from the 1990s, we can’t figure out how to translate Japanese weirdness into watchable live action films. Western animation does better with homaging Japanese elements, and   Pacific Rim is the closest we have gotten to an anime homage. With this out of the way, let me espouse my concerns for the newest franchise being adapted: Death Note. This psychological thriller manages to reel you in with anti heroes, anti villains, and straight up heroes that suffer greatly. It explores questions about justice and how murder changes people. Netflix will release an American version of Death Note in August 2017. Light resembles an evil Tobey Maguire from a Spiderman movie. Misa is now Mia, a smoker. L is now a black man that hides in the shadows. Ryuk, the shinigami, still likes apples. I am concerned that the adaptation may be too faithful, which I don’t often say. The Lowdown Death Note is a Japanese franchise, about a teen genius that receives the power to kill others. He decides to use this new power, the Death Note, to rid the world of criminals, and become a god. Light starts with those already convicted and imprisoned. The more he kills, however, the more he becomes willing to lower his ethics. When the FBI and an American detective L decide to take on this so-called God Kira and enact justice, Light takes offense. He decides that he will find out Ls name and face, so that he can murder him and avoid jail time like a common criminal. The story has been a manga, an anime, a musical, several live action films and a TV drama in Japan. Light’s morality changes in each adaptation, but he remains a semi-sympathetic protagonist. L also has his reasons for keeping up the chase. An Imperfect Justice System There is one problem with adapting Death Note word for word and changing the setting to the United States: the US and Japan have very different approaches to justice systems. In Japan, while conviction rates are higher, miscarriages of justice are less likely. According to J. Mark Ramseyer and Eric B. Rasmusen’s essay “Why is the Japanese Conviction Rate So High,” they explain it as incentive-based: “That Japanese prosecutors might do very well at keeping innocent defendants out of the court system follows straightforwardly from budget constraints. Chronically understaffed, Japanese prosecutors lack the time to prosecute any but a small fraction of the suspects forwarded by the police. Rather than waste their time with dubious cases (other than the occasional politically driven corruption case), perhaps rational prosecutors prosecute only the most obviously and gruesomely guilty. “ For this reason, Light in Japan resents that the justice system doesn’t go far enough. He wants people to stop committing crimes, and to stop doing terrible things. In the case of Misa Amane, her parents’ killer would have evaded justice due to red tape. Light cuts through bureaucracy by just writing a name. In the Japanese films, Light says that he wants to fix this system. The United States, in contrast, has broken justice and prison systems. Many comedians, from Adam Destroys Everything to John Oliver, have pointed out that the system strongly favors those who are affluent and white, with corporations that keep people in jail, expensive bails, corrupt cops, and overworked public defendants. We also have a prison population larger than any other country in the first world because we dont have sustainable programs for rehabilitating those on parole, or assisting the mentally ill. There would thus be a lot of problems of Light killing those convicted and serving time, especially since justice is disproportionately served. The Problems of Whitewashing Light I am concerned that they have made Light into a white American teenager, ostensibly affluent, with blond hair. Its been shown that, thanks to cultural and media biases, that Caucasians are more likely to stereotype nonwhite Americans and foreigners as criminals. And there are already dozens of authority figures in Light’s position, who determine who lives and who dies. The Guardian has published multiple articles on them. Turning Light into a Caucasian also shuts out the role to many potential Asian actors. More than one critic has pointed this out.  Keeping Light Japanese in the dramas in Japan kept him an everyman. He could have worshipers within the show, and even sympathizers. Light for all his smarts could be anyone in Japan corrupted by that power, and happened to be the genius teen of a police chief. It also implies that Light cannot be a compelling protagonist unless he is white. We saw this problem with the Ghost in the Shell film, which has lost to Boss Baby in terms of box office hits. Murder Culture in America I cant speak for Japan, but the United States has a disturbing worship of killing others, mainly non white people. In the early days of settlement, the government encouraged settlers to wipe out Native Americans and steal their land. This led to mandated genocide that continues with the Standing Rock injustice to this day. Slavery also thrived, and the brutal practices killed many in the system. Then you enter the post-Civil War area. The Ku Klux Klan and other terrorist groups would leave burning crosses on lawns and lynch black people, sometimes even children, for the crime of trying to improve their lives or even smile at a white lady. I still dread the textbook photos that show white families happily smiling in front of a hanged black man. The woman who killed young Emmet Till by accusing him of whistling at her has since recanted but refuses to apologize for her complicit racism. Modern Murder In this day and age, the worship of murder remains strong. O.J. Simpson has capitalized on his fame, as one example. Trayvon Martins death has become an icon sold on memorabilia, and George Zimmerman has become a minor celebrity for stalking and shooting a teenager. Mass shootings are nearly happening daily, according to statistics, with little to no hope of sane regulation thanks to the NRA. With this cultural context, a random American receiving a Death Note would be a really bad idea. What if you gave that power to Confederate groups in the south, or the alt-right that have admitted they want to do ethnic cleansing? You would have another genocide on your hands. Netflix Light would fit those young adults that said Heil Trump in 2016. Such an image carries horrifying implications. The screenwriter and director will have to tread carefully in August to avoid this. Making L Black Despite these points,   Netflix seems to have gotten L right. L being American and the FBI participating do not change the story. Our detective wants the thrill of solving a difficult crime. He knows his suspect is in Japan, and focuses on catching Kira, rather than on the idea of justice. Light would most likely go to jail if caught, and be tried in Japan. I favor turning L into a black guy. In American media, most black people are typecast into minor roles. Our antagonist refuses to lie in a menial role. L is amoral, and sometimes stoops to Kiras level. He is also a cool, worthy opponent for Light. L as a black guy also becomes aware of the inherent American bias towards non white people. He wouldnt fear Kira because the police would try and kill L every day, on a regular basis. L would have to know about the judicial and media biases that would ensue when trying to enact justice. Thus his ethnicity some of the unfortunate implications cited above. The Verdict L may save the movie. Light and Mia could kill it. Ryuk will probably be the most accurate character. Based on the trailer, we will see a lot of creative deaths. In any case, the odds are highly against one actors ability to save a movie. I hope that the writers take into account the implications of translating such a concept. They have a lot of work on their hands. If not, however, we always have the original anime and manga to read, as well as the live action films.   Lets witness a fantasy that questions justice systems, good and evil, in its original form. Also In This Story Stream View all anime posts--> Sign up to The Stack to receive  Book Riot Comic's best posts, picked for you. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

TOK - Does all knowledge require some kind of rational basis

The knowledge issue presented in this question promotes the examination of the relationship between knowledge and reason. The question being explored is if reason is the only basis upon which knowledge can be constructed. The term knowledge is broad, but under the perimeters of the knowledge issue, it means to have certainty on a certain topic. This knowledge refers to the creation of certainty about an ambiguous situation. It can be the product of critical thinking about any of the â€Å"ways of knowing,† or it can be certainty about personal situations. Knowledge is not truth but certainty. Certainty is a personal position and this is one of the major perimeters of the knowledge issue. Rational basis (i.e. reason) is a way of knowing†¦show more content†¦According to the definition of a rational basis, â€Å"a way of knowing in which one compiles historical information about similar situations in the past, and extrapolates to find certainty,† their kno wledge of religion is rational. They are using previous knowledge and extrapolating to validate the existence of a god or spiritual power. Belief is a strong way of knowing and religion is an exemplification of it. In contradiction to the counter-claim, religious beliefs are often accepted and then validated, meaning that they were believed before reasoned, and the knowledge was created by belief and only strengthened by the reason generated by these personal experiences. Religion is an example of how knowledge doesn’t have to have a rational basis, but how often can knowledge be created based on belief? Is religion the only example of knowledge based on belief? Religion is one of the only publicly accepted beliefs that creates knowledge without the influence of reason, however a personal belief can create knowledge. Personal beliefs are less common. This is because knowledge-based beliefs don’t make sense. They aren’t based on anything but inner-confiden ce. When millions of people share the belief, it is easy to follow, but people often won’t allow their beliefs to thrive. These beliefs often have to do with personal potential, or a situation with the odds stacked against it. Not only doShow MoreRelatedComparative Study of Quality of Work Life Management in Tcs Ibm: a Case Study Analysis14194 Words   |  57 Pageswork more efficiently. ‘Quality Work Life’ emphasizes on how an employee and employer should keep a proper balance between their work and family. It emphasizes how people can keep balance by making their work timings flexible. QWL basically is all about employee involvement, which consists of methods to motivate employees to participate in decision making. This helps in building good relationships. The project gives emphasis on use of quality circles by companies like TCS amp; IBM, which

Leadership Strategies For A Leader - 1116 Words

Helping organizations to create and achieve goals is an essential part of what it means to be a leader. Goals provide direction for followers and set priorities (Leadership Strategies [L.S.], 2015, figure 1). Gen. Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, claimed that Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. (Tayor, 2015, para. 4). In essence, great leaders are able to sift through the distractions that pull organizations and individuals in a multitude of different directions, and are able to unify their efforts under one banner. Leaders determine the vision, and then utilize goals to make that vision a reality. Goals provide a†¦show more content†¦These plans can be very small in scope and applied only to specific areas or compartments within an organization. Short term tactical plans can be utilized as a means of fulfilling the strategic plans, or long term goals, of an organization, while strategic plans are the medium through which leaders fulfill the vision of an organization in its entirety. This paper will examine how both strategic and tactical planning are utilized by companies in the achievement of goals, and will explain at which points of the process one or the other should be used. One definition of strategic planning that has been put forth is â€Å"Strategic planning is gaining insights about where you are now, gathering the information that identifies where you should be in the future, generating the decisions that will give you a unique position, and then defining the actions that will bridge the gap† (Lake, 2012, p. ix). By utilizing this definition as a rubric, a step by step process by which to accomplish strategic planning becomes apparent. The first step is to develop and in depth understanding of the organizations current state of affairs. This includes understanding general questions such as what the business of the organization is, why it is unique, and what is important to its overall success (Lake, 2012, p. 2). It also includes examining past achievements and short comings as well as considering what value

Why No One Is Discussing Essay Topics about Power and What You Should be Doing Right Now About It

Why No One Is Discussing Essay Topics about Power and What You Should be Doing Right Now About It Identity theft is an immense issue for elderly folks. Yearly driving tests ought to be mandatory over a particular age. They should be mandatory for the first five years after getting a license. Explain how to create a paper airplane. Level of authority is a significant aspect in conceptualizing an organization because it will influence the behavior of leaders and followers. Characters in the story have a tendency to tell a lie repeatedly. These tactics will probably be viewed as socially undesirable kinds of influence behavior in many conditions and the target might become resentful of angry with the individual trying to coerce or manipulate the other individual. Deception plays an important part in shaping the plot of Macbeth. The Key to Successful Essay Topics about Power Coercive power is just the opposite of reward power. People with the authority or power will have the ability to make things happen and getting in done. Nuclear power plants are sustainable with respect to the fresh water required for them to do the job. They are too expensive to build and to use. The Downside Risk of Essay Topics about Power Leadership must take note that followers will likewise be able to use reward power in influencing leaders. Thus, what you'd have to do is narrow down the subject of power relations. Rational-legal authority is the sort of the majority of power relationships in modern organizations. As most political organization is composed of individuals with distinct values and interest, this presents the possibility of conflict over resources. Essay Topics about Power Ideas School should happen in the evenings. Thus, let's examine a number of the Animal Farm topics you might discover interesting. Children should be asked to read more. Kids should have the ability to vote. The outcome of any given influence attempt is dependent on several fact ors besides influencing tactics and any tactic could result in target resistance if it's not suitable for the circumstance or is employed in an unskillful method. By comparison, people typically utilize soft tactic like ingratiation when they personally benefited from the thriving attempt, when they don't have an upper hand or any time they expect resistance. Besides, the dearth of suitable grammar makes the listeners shed respect to the speaker. To help you out here are a few attention grabber topics that you're able to consider. The Advantages of Essay Topics about Power You may have a tough time choosing the very best topic that could offer you better grades. The theme meaninglessness of life isn't a substantial topic of the play, but it may be a great topic to write about. This list of topics may supply a concept you may get excited about. On the opposing side, acquiring a list of good persuasive essay topics is insufficient. The Downside Risk of Essay Topics about Pow er It is the capability to get whatever you desire. The issues also have issues that exist around the world regarding gender. All these powers have sufficient use to manage the hierarchy management in the organization. Focus on both their physical appearance and individual traits. Gender and power are closely tied in Macbeth, and they're able to be examined from a wide variety of perspectives. Every American should learn how to speak Spanish. He should learn to speak English. The Fight Against Essay Topics about Power Life is far better than it was 50 decades ago. Contraception needs to be banned for children. Child molesters ought to be put to death. Torture ought to be illegal. Schools should not have a thing to do with ads. Recycling should be mandatory for everybody. Love is similar to the ideal medicine for anything. Power is the capacity to create effects on other and as the capability to influence others. Therefore, process analyses can be quite detailed a nd at times quite long. Thus, the idea of authority as an explanation for compliance was seized upon to the exclusion of the idea of power. Although influence is decided by power and authority but they aren't identical because influence denotes the process whereby power is exercised and authority is legitimated. It happens when the man or woman making requests depending on the position or authority held. Details of Essay Topics about Power Conflict arises due to pressure to realize certain goals that may not be realistic. Quite simply, the essay should say how you intend to get ready for class. As you get set to submit the subject, you can evaluate each one of the topics and choose which will be better to compose an impressive essay on. Because you're in search of a great write my essay support! Each time you cry, please write my essay, we are here to assist. You may continue to keep your argumentative essays for your upcoming job portfolio in case they're highly graded. Don't hesitate to pick any of the gender essay topics within this list and start the journey to a well-written essay on gender troubles.

Upon Looking Back At Our YED Dishes, We Noticed Some Areas Of Bacteria

Upon looking back at our YED dishes, we noticed some areas of bacteria growing on the outer edges of the plate as well as a very bad permeated throughout the room. The only signs of cross contamination that we observed happened when the diploid strains out grew their respected cells and began to move onto other cells areas. However, this was no cause for alarm because we had already recorded our observations and no longer needed the plates. Discussion: The process of sexually reproduction between stains of yeast begins with haploid gametes. The gametes code for dominant and recessive traits which on passed on to the next generation. In this lab's case, the R genotype coded for color with a cream color being dominant and red color being recessive. The T genotypes coded for the ability to grow in an MVA environment with growth being dominant and not growing being recessive. The haploid gametes combine together and produced diploid offspring which includes traits from both haploid gametes. However, the dominant and recessive traits determine the color and growth of the diploid offspring. My results completely reinforce the principles of dominant and recessive traits in sexual reproduction in that my partner I observed growth and color patterns that were identical to our projected phenotypes in the hypothesis. For the color phenotype ratio we counted 4 out 12 cells with red growth or 1:3 ratio. As for the growth on MVA phen otype ratio we again counted 4 out of 12 cells that did not grow on the MVA or 1:3 ratio. My group collected such accurate date because we meticulously made sure that contamination was kept to minimum. This lab has parallels with Mendal's experiments with peas. Mendal found that when two genes of a pair are different alleles, one is fully expressed or dominant and the other has no effect on or is recessive. Mendal also found that the first generation of offspring produces the entire dominant trait. However, the second generation of a hybrid cross produces offspring in a 3:1 ratio where the dominant alleles are expressed 3 times for every one recessive allele. This must mean that the haploid gametes represent the first generation and the diploid colonies must represent the second generation of offspring because they produced offspring in a 3:1 ratio. Conclusion: My group's results reinforce the hypothesis for the phenotypes. Our offspring in the YED plate grew with 4 out of 12 cells producing red growth for a 1:3 ratio. Once we transferred the diploid strains onto the MVA plate, again, 4 out of 12 did not grow or 1:3. These results not only reflect good lab work, but theses also coincide with Mendal's principles of inheritance. Bibliography Upon looking back at our YED dishes, we noticed some areas of bacteria growing on the outer edges of the plate as well as a very bad permeated throughout the room. The only signs of cross contamination that we observed happened when the diploid strains out grew their respected cells and began to move onto other cells areas. However, this was no cause for alarm because we had already recorded our observations and no longer needed the plates. Discussion: The process of sexually reproduction between stains of yeast begins with haploid gametes. The gametes code for dominant and recessive traits which on passed on to the next generation. In this lab's case, the R genotype coded for color with a cream color being dominant and red color being recessive. The T genotypes coded for the ability to grow in an MVA environment with growth being dominant and not growing being recessive. The haploid gametes combine together and produced diploid offspring which includes traits from both haploid gametes. However, the dominant and recessive traits determine the color and growth of the diploid offspring. My results completely reinforce the principles of dominant and recessive traits in sexual reproduction in that my partner I observed growth and color patterns that were identical to our projected phenotypes in the hypothesis. For the color phenotype ratio we counted 4 out 12 cells with red growth or 1:3 ratio. As for the growth on MVA phen otype ratio we again counted 4 out of 12 cells that did not grow on

USS Maryland (BB-46) in World War II

USS Maryland (BB-46) in World War II USS Maryland (BB-46) was the second ship of the US Navys Colorado-class of battleship. Entering service in 1921, the battleship briefly served in the Atlantic before spending the majority of its career in the Pacific. At Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when the  Japanese attacked, Maryland sustained two bomb hits but remained afloat and endeavored to fight off the enemy aircraft. Repaired after the attack, the battleship played a support role in the early campaigns in the Pacific such the   Battle of Midway. In 1943, Maryland joined in the Allies island-hopping campaign across the Pacific and routinely provided naval gunfire support for troops ashore. The following year, it joined several other Pearl Harbor survivors in dealing out revenge on the Japanese at the Battle of Surigao Strait. Marylands later activities included supporting the invasion of Okinawa and aiding in transporting American troops home as part of Operation Magic Carpet. Design The fifth and last class  of Standard-type battleship  (Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Tennessee) developed for the US Navy, the Colorado-class represented an evolution of its predecessors. Conceived prior to the building of the Nevada-class, the Standard-type approach called for battleships that had common operational and tactical characteristics. These included the employment of oil-fired boilers rather than coal and the use of an  Ã¢â‚¬Å"all or nothing† armor scheme. This armor arrangement saw key areas of the vessel, such as magazines and engineering, heavily protected while less important areas were left unarmored. In addition, Standard-type battleships were to have a tactical turn radius of 700 yards or less and a minimum top speed of 21 knots.    Though similar to the preceding Tennessee-class, the Colorado-class mounted eight 16 guns in four twin turrets as opposed to the earlier vessels which carried twelve 14 guns in four triple turrets. The US Navy had been assessing the use of 16 guns for a few years and following successful tests of the weapon, discussions commenced regarding their use on the earlier Standard-type designs. This did not move forward due to the cost involved in altering these battleships and increasing their displacement to accommodate the new guns. In 1917, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels finally permitted the use of 16 guns on the condition that the new class not incorporate any other major design changes. The Colorado-class also carried a secondary battery of twelve to fourteen 5 guns and an anti-aircraft armament of four 3 guns.    Construction The second ship of the class, USS Maryland (BB-46) was laid down at Newport News Shipbuilding on April 24, 1917. Construction moved forward on the vessel and on March 20, 1920, it slid into the water with Elizabeth S. Lee, daughter-in-law of Maryland Senator Blair Lee, acting as sponsor. An additional fifteen months of work followed and on July 21, 1921, Maryland entered commission, with Captain C.F. Preston in command. Departing Newport News, it conducted a shakedown cruise along the East Coast. USS Maryland (BB-46) - Overview Nation:  United StatesType:  BattleshipShipyard:  Newport News ShipbuildingLaid Down:  April 24, 1917Launched:  March  20, 1920Commissioned:  July 21, 1921Fate:  Sold for scrap Specifications (as built) Displacement:  32,600  tonsLength:  624  ft.Beam:  97  ft., 6 in.Draft:  30  ft., 6 in.Propulsion:  Turbo-electric transmission  turning 4 propellersSpeed:  21.17 knotsComplement:  1,080  men Armament (as built) 8 Ãâ€" 16  in. gun (4  Ãƒâ€" 2)12  Ãƒâ€" 5 in. guns4 Ãâ€" 3 in. guns2 Ãâ€" 21 in. torpedo tubes Interwar Years Serving as flagship for Commander-in-Chief, US Atlantic Fleet Admiral Hilary P. Jones, Maryland traveled extensively in 1922. After taking part in graduation festivities at the US Naval Academy, it steamed north to Boston where it played a role in celebrating the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Embarking Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes on August 18, Maryland transported him south to Rio de Janeiro. Returning in September, it took part in fleet exercises the following spring before shifting to the West Coast. Serving in the Battle Fleet, Maryland and other battleships conducted a goodwill cruise to Australia and New Zealand in 1925. Three years later, the battleship carried President-elect Herbert Hoover on a tour of Latin American before returning to the United States for an overhaul. Pearl Harbor Resuming routine peacetime exercises and training, Maryland continued to largely operate in the Pacific during the 1930s. Steaming to Hawaii in April 1940, the battleship took part in Fleet Problem XXI which simulated a defense of the islands. Due to rising tensions with Japan, the fleet remained in Hawaiian waters following the exercise and shifted its base to Pearl Harbor. On the morning of December 7, 1941, Maryland was moored along Battleship Row inboard of USS Oklahoma (BB-37) when the Japanese attacked and pulled the United States into World War II. Responding with anti-aircraft fire, the battleship was protected from torpedo attack by Oklahoma. When its neighbor capsized early in the attack, many of its crew jumped aboard Maryland and aided in the ships defense.   In the course of the fighting, Maryland sustained hits from two armor-piercing bombs which caused some flooding. Remaining afloat, the battleship departed Pearl Harbor later in December and steamed to Puget Sound Navy Yard for repairs and an overhaul. Emerging from the yard on February 26, 1942, Maryland moved through shakedown cruises and training. Rejoining combat operations in June, it played a support role during the pivotal Battle of Midway. Ordered back to San Francisco, Maryland spent part of the summer in training exercises before joining USS Colorado (BB-45) for patrol duty around Fiji. Island-Hopping Shifting to the New Hebrides in early 1943, Maryland operated off Efate before moving south to Espiritu Santo. Returning to Pearl Harbor in August, the battleship underwent a five-week overhaul which included enhancements to its anti-aircraft defenses. Named flagship of Rear Admiral Harry W. Hills V Amphibious Force and Southern Attack Force, Maryland put to sea on October 20 to take part in the invasion of Tarawa. Opening fire on Japanese positions on November 20, the battleship provided naval gunfire support for the Marines ashore throughout the battle. After a brief voyage to the West Coast for repairs, Maryland rejoined the fleet and made for the Marshall Islands. Arriving, it covered the landings on Roi-Namur on January 30, 1944, before aiding in the assault on Kwajalein the following day.   With the completion of operations in the Marshalls, Maryland received orders to commence an overhaul and re-gunning at Puget Sound. Leaving the yard on May 5, it joined Task Force 52 for participation in the Marianas Campaign.   Reaching Saipan, Maryland commenced firing on the island on June 14. Covering the landings the next day, the battleship pounded Japanese targets as the fighting raged. On June 22, Maryland sustained a torpedo hit from a Mitsubishi G4M Betty which opened a hole in the battleships bow. Withdrawn from the battle, it moved to Eniwetok before proceeding back to Pearl Harbor. Due to the damage to the bow, this voyage was conducted in reverse. Repaired in 34 days, Maryland steamed to the Solomon Islands before joining Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorfs Western Fire Support Group for the invasion of Peleliu. Attacking on September 12, the battleship reprised its support role and aided Allied forces ashore until the island fell. Surigao Strait Okinawa On October 12, Maryland sortied from Manus to provide cover for the landings on Leyte in the Philippines. Striking six days later, it remained in the area as Allied forces went ashore on October 20. As the wider Battle of Leyte Gulf commenced, Maryland and Oldendorfs other battleships shifted south to cover the Surigao Strait. Attacked on the night of October 24, the American ships crossed the Japanese T and sank two Japanese battleships (Yamashiro Fuso) and a heavy cruiser  (Mogami). Continuing to operate in the Philippines, Maryland sustained a kamikaze hit on November 29 which caused damage between the forward turrets as well as killed 31 and wounded 30. Repaired at Pearl Harbor, the battleship was out of action until March 4, 1945.    Reaching Ulithi, Maryland joined Task Force 54 and departed for the invasion of Okinawa on March 21. Initially tasked with eliminating targets on the islands south coast, the battleship then shifted west as the fighting progressed. Moving north with TF54 on April 7, Maryland sought to counter Operation Ten-Go which involved the Japanese battleship Yamato. This effort succumbed to American carrier planes before TF54 arrived. That evening, Maryland took a kamikaze hit on Turret No.3 which killed 10 and injured 37.   Despite the resulting damage, the battleship remained on station for another week. Ordered to escort transports to Guam, it then proceeded to Pearl Harbor and on to Puget Sound for repairs and an overhaul.    Final Actions Arriving, Maryland had its 5 guns replaced and enhancements made to the crews quarters. Work on the ship ended in August just as the Japanese ceased hostilities. Ordered to take part in Operation Magic Carpet, the battleship assisted in returning American servicemen to the United States. Operating between Pearl Harbor and the West Coast, Maryland transported over 8,000 men home before completing this mission in early December. Moved into reserve status on July 16, 1946, the battleship left commission on April 3, 1947. The US Navy retained Maryland for another twelve years until selling the ship for scrap on July 8, 1959.

Harald Bluetooth, Former King of Denmark and Norway

Harald Bluetooth, Former King of Denmark and Norway Harald Bluetooth (c. 910–c. 987), otherwise known as King Harald I of Denmark, was best known for three major achievements. First, he completed the work of unifying Denmark under a single ruler. Second, he conquered Norway- an event which had major historical consequences. Finally, he converted the Danes and Norwegians to Christianity. The dynasty he founded went on to rule over an increasingly large kingdom that, at its height, included much of the British Isles and parts of Sweden. Fast Facts: Harald Bluetooth Known For: King of Denmark and NorwayAlso Known As:  Haraldr Gormsson, Harald Blà ¥tand Gormsen, Harald IBorn: c. 910 in Jelling, DenmarkParents: King  Gorm the Old  and Thyra  DannebodDied: c. 987, probably in Jormsborg in the northern part of modern PolandSpouse(s): Gunhild, Thora  (Tova) the daughter of  Mistivir, Gyrid OlafsdottirChildren: Thyra Haraldsdatter, Sweyn Forkbeard, Haakon, Gunhilde Early Life Harald Bluetooth, or Harold Bluetooth, was born around 910, the son of the first king in a new line of Danish royalty, Gorm the Old. His mother was Thyra, whose father was a nobleman of Sunderjylland (Schleswig). Gorm had established his power base in Jelling, in northern Jutland, and had begun to unify Denmark before his reign was over. Thyra was inclined toward Christianity, so it is possible that young Harald had a favorable view toward the new religion when he was a child, even though his father was an enthusiastic follower of the Norse gods. So fierce a follower of Wotan was Gorm that when he invaded Friesland in 934, he demolished Christian churches in the process. This was not a wise move; shortly after that he came up against the German king, Henry I (Henry the Fowler); and when Henry defeated Gorm, he forced the Danish king not only to restore those churches but to grant toleration to his Christian subjects. Gorm did what was required of him but died a year later, leaving his kingdom to Harald. Haralds Reign Harald set out to continue his fathers work of unifying Denmark under one rule, and he succeeded very well. To defend his kingdom, he strengthened existing fortifications and built new ones. The Trelleborg ring forts, which are considered among the most important remains of the Viking age, date to his reign. Harald also supported the new policy of toleration for Christians, allowing Bishop Unni of Bremen and Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Corvey to preach the gospel in Jutland. Harald and the bishop developed a cordial working relationship, and although he did not agree to get baptized himself, Harald appears to have supported the spread of Christianity among the Danes. Once he had established internal peace, Harald was in a position to take an interest in external matters, especially those concerning his blood relatives. His sister, Gunnhild, fled to Harald with her five sons when her husband, King Erik Bloodaxe of Norway, was killed in battle in Northumberland in 954. Harald helped his nephews reclaim territories in Norway from King Hakon. He was met with serious resistance at first and Hakon even succeeded at invading Jutland, but Harald was ultimately victorious when Hakon was killed on the island of Stord. Haralds Christian nephews took possession of their lands and, led by Harald Greycloak (the eldest nephew), they embarked on a campaign to unify Norway under one rule. Unfortunately, Greycloak and his brothers were somewhat heavy-handed in spreading their faith, breaking up pagan sacrifices and despoiling pagan places of worship. The unrest that resulted made unification an unlikely prospect and Greycloak began to forge alliances with former enemies. This did not sit well with Harald Bluetooth, to whom his nephews owed much for his aid in obtaining their lands, and his concerns were borne out when Greycloak was assassinated, ostensibly by his new allies. Bluetooth took the opportunity to assert his rights over Greycloaks lands and was able to take control of Norway not long after. In the meantime, Christianity had been making some notable headway in Denmark. The Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great, who professed a deep devotion to the religion, saw to it that several bishoprics were founded in Jutland under papal authority. Due to conflicting and unsubstantiated sources, it is not clear exactly why this led to war with Harald; it may have something to do with the fact that these actions made the dioceses exempt from taxation by the Danish king, or perhaps it was because it made the territory appear to be under Ottos suzerainty. In any case, war ensued, and the exact outcome is also unclear. Norse sources maintain that Harald and his allies held their ground; German sources relate that Otto broke through the Danevirke and imposed strictures on Harald, including making him accept baptism and evangelize Norway. Whatever burdens Harald had to deal with as a result of this war, he showed himself to retain considerable clout in the following decade. When Ottos successor and son Otto II was busy fighting in Italy, Harald took advantage of the distraction by sending his son, Svein Forkbeard, against Ottos fortress in Slesvig. Svein captured the fortress and pushed the emperors forces southward. At the same time, Haralds father-in-law, the king of Wendland, invaded Brandenburg and Holstein and sacked Hamburg. The forces of the emperor were unable to counter these attacks, and so Harald reclaimed control of all of Denmark. Death In less than two years, Harald had lost all the gains he had made in Denmark and was seeking refuge in Wendland from his son. Sources are silent as to how this turn of events came to be, but it may have had something to do with Haralds insistence on converting his people to Christianity when there was still a considerable number of pagans among the nobility. Harald was killed in battle against Svein in or around 987; his body was brought back to Denmark and laid to rest in the church at Roskilde. Legacy Harald was by no means the most Christian of medieval kings, but he did receive baptism, and he did do what he could to promote the religion in both Denmark and Norway. He had his fathers pagan tomb converted to a Christian place of worship. Although the conversion of the populace to Christianity was not completed in his lifetime, he did allow a fairly robust evangelization to take place. In addition to constructing the Trelleborg ring forts, Harald extended the Danevirk and left a remarkable runestone in memory of his mother and father in Jelling. The modern Bluetooth technology used to connect electronic devices was named for the ancient Viking king. According to Jim Kardach, one of the founders of Bluetooth SIG: â€Å"Harald had united Denmark and Christianized the Danes! It occurred to me that this would make a good codename for the program. At this time I also created a PowerPoint foil with a version of the Runic stone where Harald held a cellphone in one hand and a notebook in the other and with a translation of the runes: Harald united Denmark and Norway and Harald thinks that mobile PC’s and cellular phones should seamlessly communicate. Sources The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. â€Å"Harald I.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 4 Apr. 2018.â€Å"The Jelling Stone.†Ã‚  National Museum of Denmark.â€Å"Legendary Harald Bluetooth King Of Denmark - Who Made The Danes Christian.  Ancient Pages, 16 May 2017.â€Å"Bluetooth: Why Modern Tech Is Named After Powerful King of Denmark and Norway.†Ã‚  Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 20 Jan. 2017.