31 Following

Brie's Corner

Ghost in the Machine - Barbara J. Hancock Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerI was pleasantly surprised by this book. I bought it after reading Janine’s review over at Dear Author even though I wasn’t familiar with Ms. Hancock’s work. I love gritty stories that take place in alternate or post-apocalyptic worlds and Ghost in the Machine is exactly that. I’m so glad I read it because it turned out to be a wonderful and exciting journey.The world painted in this book has literally gone to ashes. Years ago an alien invasion commanded by an entity called the SoulEater, took over the world and everything in it. Half machine, half something else, the SoulEater had the ability to feed from humans and turn them into ghostly beings called Shadows that wandered the planet reproducing behaviors from their past and sometimes even resembling that past, and whose only purpose was to locate humans and alert the Sweepers. Now, Shadows are a terrible sight because they come back as reflections of their past, that means that a little girl’s shadow sings the same song over and over again, or a former runner comes backs as a horse with a human head. But Sweepers are worse because they are a hybrid between a human and a machine and you can’t tell where the flesh begins and the machine ends, they all are monstrous things devoid of any humanity. Or so it seems.Our heroine is Bet, and her only purpose in life is keeping her little brother, Douglas, safe. She’s emaciated and what little food she finds she gives to her brother. She worries that she won’t be able to keep him sheltered anymore because the older he gets, the more he realizes how terrible things are. One day, Bet’s worse nightmare comes true because when she gets home she finds out that Sweepers have taken Douglas. With nothing else to loose, and her only reason to live gone, she decides to embark on a suicide mission to rescue him from the SoulEater, when common logic says she should run the other way.It doesn’t take long for a shadow to find and attack her. She’s too weak to fight and is clearly loosing when out of nowhere a man dressed like a soldier, built like a god and winged like an angel, saves her. She knows this man, whose name is Gabriel, is a Shadow but can see that there’s still some humanity left in him. He offers her his help to find Douglas and even though she doesn’t trust him she knows she needs him, so she reluctantly accepts, and so the adventure begins.This isn’t a happy book, and the setting is quite dark even for a genre that’s usually filled with darks settings. If you don’t like gritty and bleak worlds where you’re always worrying about the character’s safety, then you should probably skip this one. Otherwise, go ahead and read it because it’s an interesting and riveting story that packs a lot of punch for such a short length and presents us a complex and quite interesting alternate world.The story is told in first person from Bet’s POV so you really get to see how desperate she is and how bleak and awful life is. She knows going after Douglas means almost certain death but he’s everything to her, she has no reason to live beyond him so either way she dies. She’s also quite lonely, at one point she reflects about how she’s never been able to lean on someone and that as much as she loves her brother sometimes she needs more. That’s why Gabriel makes such a huge difference, because she finally has someone taking care of her. I also loved how strong and good she was, she never gives up but still acknowledges that things are bad. She wasn’t a sunny and positive heroine, but she was still was able to give the reader some hope.We get some parts of the story from Grabriel’s perspective, just enough to give us some background and to let us know where he’s coming from. This is a guy who has spent years fighting and who has managed to keep his humanity after going through something worse than death, even after humans themselves have that humanity and all hope.There are things left unexplained. I’m not exactly sure how the SoulEater works, and how it creates the Shadows and Sweepers. I don’t want to give away any details but the ending was rushed and to me the final resolution is the weakest part of the book, it seemed almost too easy, and again, it wasn’t quite explained. At one point I wasn’t sure how it was going to end, was a happy ending even possible? Well, you have to read it but I’ll say that the ending is satisfying and the story is so engrossing that you are able to overlook its shortcomings.If you like post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk stories this is a must read, it’s also heavy on the romance so there’s something to cater to every taste. It’s part of a series of novellas that have a post-apocalyptic and cyberpunk theme but aren’t related otherwise, you can get them Here (Zero Factor) and here (Gridlock) and I think Samhain is planning on publishing them as an anthology latter this year.


Mathias B. Freese - I Truly Lament. PDF

PDF From jbgarner58.wordpress.com:

Not all literary meals are laid out on the table purely for the stuffing of the reader’s face with new entertainment.Some have a purpose behind their creation and other recipes are crafted to bring the reader an important message or a deep feeling as he sits chewing the fat.I’ve reviewed at least one book like this before so it’s not a stranger to this Starving Reviewer and I have another such literary meal at my table today.The message and the event it seeks to fill our taste buds with is older but even stronger than the previous book.I Truly Lament deals with one of the great and terrible tragedies of the 20th Century: the Holocaust.Does it perform its mission admirably?Let’s find out.

But first!The Starving Review creed!

I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre.

This Starving Review is going to be short, folks, and not as humorous as most of mine.It simply comes down to the fact that there are few subjects more serious than attempted genocides of a people.The Holocaust is horrific and there’s little desire on my part to make light of it, even if it would only be indirectly.Even worse is the prospect that it was not the first and far from the last ethnic cleansing to happen in our world.That’s the ultimate tragedy of it all.So before I get overly emotional or start shaking my fist angrily at the heavens and shout ‘WHY?!’ dramatically (okay, so there will be a LITTLE humor), let’s get this done!

Lament is an anthology-style novel, consisting of a series of short stories that runs through a wide swath of viewpoints, concepts, and premises all related to the Holocaust.Some even venture into the sci-fi and fantasy premises, such as time-travel, and that adds some rather intriguing flavors to those stories.There are a large number of stories in the book so I will not try to itemize a list of each story and weight each on its own pros and cons.

What I will say is that Mr. Freese is a talented and insightful chronicler here and is good at bringing each unique flavor from each story into its own life.That, over so many different tales, he manages such a strong consistency in his writing speaks volumes for the book’s overall quality.

As far as the subject matter itself, Lament handles it with some distinctly Jewish insights as well as a good attention to historical detail.Those points add extra heft to the stories, making them each seem a bit more vivid and life-like.No punches are pulled, either emotional or descriptive, and I, as a reader, appreciate that.Something as terrible as this deserves no whitewashing or sugar coating.

If there is any real flaws in the collection, it is simply that, as all anthology works, even the best author is not one-hundred percent consistent in quality.A few of the tales simply don’t resonate as strongly as others or seem a bit forced in concept.It’s simply the nature of the beast and one that doesn’t detract significantly from the overall quality of Lament, especially as most of the stories are quite brief.It’s easy work to chew past the occasional bits of blander flavor to get to the better bits.

So, end of the meal, how was Lament?There is both bitterness and sweetness, courage and cowardice, and by the last bite, this collection of tales gets its messages about the Holocaust across.That, above all things, is the most important metric to measure such a book by.If you want to gain a deeper insight to the Jewish perspective on the Holocaust, are a general student of World War II, or simply want to broaden your mind about the world, I can highly recommend this read.Just remember, this is a book about horrific things.The imagery can be disturbing and the language coarse so if that offends you, well, there’s nothing to be done for it.

FINAL VERDICT: ***** (Bitterness mixed with sweetness, courage mixed with cowardice.)

Tags: download, mathias b. freese, ebook, pdf, i truly lament

download Mathias B. Freese I Truly Lament PDF

Download from mirrors


Essay On Importance Of Science And Technology In Human Development

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 9 CHAPTER 2 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY About 200 years ago the pace of technological change in western society began to quicken. Wind, water, and animal power, with their limitations of place and capacity, were supplemented and then replaced by the steam engine, which went on to power the factories of the industrial revolution. The railroad made it possible to move things and people quickly over great distances. The telegraph and, later, the telephone carried communications across the countryside. Electric lighting supplanted the dim glow of candles, kerosene, and gas lights. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the notion of progress was closely linked with technological development, and that linkage intensified in the following decades. The automobile and the airplane changed not only travel but the nature of our cities and towns. Radio and then television brought more of the outside world into everyoneâs homes. Knowledge about the causes of diseases brought new treatments and preventive measures. Computers appeared, and soon the transistor made them smaller, more powerful, more accessible, and cheaper. Today, the system by which research and development leads to new products is fundamentally different than it was in the nineteenth century. To the role of the individual inventor has been added the power of organized scientific research and technological innovation. Organized research and development, which are increasingly international in character, have greatly increased the production of new knowledge. Deeper understanding of living organisms is leading toward cures of diseases once thought

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 10 untreatable. Basic insights in materials science enable the development of structures that are lighter, stronger, and more durable than anything available before. The computer and novel modes of communication, such as optical fibers, bring new, interactive modes of work and more capable machinery. These new devices and new ways of working, in turn, speed the growth and dissemination of new knowledge. The accumulation of scientific knowledge and new technologies has transformed human life. echnologies have helped provide manyâthough far from allâpeople with standards of warmth, cleanliness, nutrition, medical care, transportation, and entertainment far beyond those of even the wealthy two centuries ago.1 They have also presented us with difficult questions about how to use science and technology most effectively to meet human needs. The rapid rate of material progress can continue, but it is not inevitable. The extent to which the products of science and technology are useful depends on the needs of society. Each of the four areas discussed in this chapterâindustrial performance, health care, national security, and environmental protectionâuses these products in different ways. Progress is more likely if we understand these differences. Only then can we effectively translate scientific and technical understanding into the techniques, tools, and insights that improve the quality of our lives. THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN INDUSTRY Industries differ in the manner and extent to which they use the results of research. Some, such as the semiconductor industry, the biotechnology industry, and parts of the chemical industry, were created and shaped almost entirely by ideas that grew out of science. The technologies at the heart of these industries were initially characterized more by promise than by real products. Semiconductors were in this stage right after the invention of the transistor; more recently, biotechnology went through

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 11 this stage after the development of recombinant DNA techniques. High-temperature superconductivity is a scientific discovery that shows promise of leading to new industries and is in this stage today. As science-based industries continue to develop, they remain closely dependent on continuous inputs of new science, often produced by university researchers. These industries depend as well on the technological development of these ideas in order to grow and to widen their range of products. At an early stage, these industries tend to be small, to move at a fast technical and competitive pace, and to have enormous potential. Biotechnology is now in this stage. In a more mature stage, a science-based industry may still be growing quickly, but it depends ess on the progress of academic scientists. The semiconductor industry, for example, moves at a fast technical pace and requires increasingly detailed knowledge of its materials and, as the individual transistors buried in its chips become ever smaller, even of new quantum phenomena. But its scientific needs are met almost entirely by the work of semiconductor scientists and engineers working in the plants and laboratories of the semiconductor companies. Indeed, industry scientists are often the only ones with the detailed knowledge needed to make incremental improvements in the technologies. Another example of an industry at a mature stage is the aircraft industry, where thousands of scientists and engineers are required to deal with the enormous complexities of new plane design. Investments in manufacturing tools and plants are often measured in hundreds of millions of dollars. Only major companies can act on this scale, and only they have the technological knowledge and experience needed to design these complex products. The most mature industriesâfor example, the automobile or construction industriesâmove at a slower technological pace and require fewer inputs from current science, whether generated by their own laboratories or by university research. Many of these

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 12 were not based on science even at their birth. They do, however, require the highest levels of technological and production know-how. For industries that rely on high technology but are technically self-contained (such as the semiconductor industry) and industries that do not depend heavily on current science (such as the automobile industry), the results of current fundamental research are generally not decisive. Japan, which has not been a leading research power, has exhibited great strength in such industries. In these areas, productivity gains and product leadership can be attained by a number of strategies largely separate from scientific research but highly dependent on engineering, such as developing new technology in corporate laboratories, improving the development cycle to hasten the marketing of improved products, better coordination of design and manufacture, maximizing the creative capabilities of employees, and responding quickly to changes in consumer preferences. Additional university research can help, but it will be of peripheral importance to such industries. Nor can research rescue a failing industry that has difficulties in other areas. THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MEETING OTHER NATIONAL OBJECTIVES In addition to their influence on industrial performance, science and technology are directly involved in efforts to achieve a number of other important national goals. As in the case of industry, many other factors must also be in place for the goals to be achieved, but science and technology provide many of the crucial insights and techniques that enable progress. The following sections briefly describe some of the linkages between science and technology and several of these goals. Health Care Maintenance of health and prevention of illness are among the highest goals of our society. cience and technology have

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 13 become critical factors in achieving those goals, and the health sciencesâincluding the life sciences, health services research, and public health researchâwill remain vital elements in the promotion of the nationâs well- being. In health care, as in other areas, science and technology are embedded in much broader social and institutional structures. For example, a research discovery can lead to experimental products in a very short time. Yet those products may require very long lead times to bring to market because of the need to ensure their safety and efficacy. The most visible public policy issue in health care today is cost.2 Many of the medical products generated by research and development, such as vaccines, actually reduce total health care costs. Other new products derived from research and development, such as complex imaging devices and expensive surgical procedures, raise costs in the short term while enhancing overall care. Still other procedures reduce unit treatment costs, but these reductions make treatments more available and thus increase demand and total costs. The development and pricing of health care products are unusual for a number of reasons. In a normal market economy, differences in the costs of technologies are reflected in the level of use. But our current system of health care reimbursement insulates patients from the true costs. In addition, the government directly regulates many aspects of medical technology to ensure safety and control costs, further distorting market signals. Finally, health care involves such basic human conditions as birth, disease, and ultimately death. Under such conditions, individual consumers often ignore economic considerations; yet the total cost of health care is a matter of enormous national concern. The effects of technical progress on costs depend to a large extent on the social and institutional structures surrounding the health care system. As the nation undertakes a broad reassessment of its health care system, a central challenge is to create administra

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 14 tive structures that promote the development of medical technology while improving care and containing costs. National Security Since World War II, the United States has sought military advantage through technological rather than numerical superiority. For example, technological superiority in the hands of a well-trained military contributed greatly to the success of the Persian Gulf War. The United States will continue to rely on this strategy to retain military advantage, but the sources of new military technology are shifting.3 In the past, the segment of industry that has supplied both hardware and software to the U.S. military has been largely separate from civilian industry. This segment of industry has had essentially one customer, and its requirements were focused on product performance more strongly than on cost. In the 1950s and 1960s, the defense industry produced much technology of value to civilian industry. But today the technological sophistication of civilian industry in many cases surpasses that of the defense industry. As a result, the military has become more dependent on civilian technologies. This trend will make improvements in national security more dependent on overall national economic performance. A major challenge facing the military today is to maintain technological superiority in the face of declining defense budgets. Meeting this challenge will require a reexamination of the broad scientific and technological base that contributes to military needs, including research and development in government laboratories, in industry, and in universities. Environmental Protection Over the past two decades, the United States has recognized and has made substantial progress in curbing the degradation of the environment. Nevertheless, difficult problems remain.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 15 Environmental degradation continues to accompany many aspects of economic growth. Emissions and effluents of contaminated materials continue, waste disposal plagues urban areas, forests continue to be devastated, and biodiversity losses are growing. At the same time, science and technology have exposed new issues of great complexity and uncertain consequences, such as global warming, acid precipitation, the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer, and the contamination of water supplies. By the middle of the twenty-first century, the human population is projected to double to around 11 billion people, and, to meet their basic needs, the global economy will need to be several times larger than it is now.4 Many industrial and agricultural practices and products used today in energy and food production, transportation, and manufacturing will need to be restructured to prevent pollution if sustainable economic growth is to be achieved. In some situations, existing technologies can be made cleaner and more efficient; in others, entirely new technologies, including energy technologies, will be needed. Almost all fields of science and technology can contribute to the reduction of environmental degradation. Biotechnology, materials science and engineering, and information technologies can enable the efficient use of raw materials and prevent pollution at the source. Reducing and preventing pollution is an important goal of the new field of industrial ecology, which, by examining industrial processes, strives to maintain sustainable technological growth.5 COMMON THEMES These examples demonstrate that science and technology are powerful determinants of the conditions of modern life but that they clearly are not the only determinants. Nevertheless, even if science and technology are not sufficient by themselves to resolve societal issues, they are necessary for progress. Industry, for example, now relies heavily on technology to raise productivity;

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 16 economic studies show that more than half the per capita productivity increases in the United States since World War II have come from technological advances. Although such factors as better skills among workers and new methods of organizing production will continue to contribute to economic expansion, new technologies will continue to be the major force behind the generation of new wealth. Similarly, many new technologies are increasingly reliant on scienceâwhether the new science emerging from research laboratories or the well-established science available to everyone with the necessary training. Engineering, increasingly science-based, could not have achieved its present level of sophistication without its base of scientific knowledge. This increasing integration of science and technology also applies in reverse: technological problems now inspire important areas of science, even as science broadens the scope and capabilities of technology. Given the fact that science and technology are necessary, but not sufficient, elements of human progress, we as a nation face important questions: How great an investment in science and technology should we make to meet national needs? How can we best measure national performance in science and technology? The committee turns to these questions next. REFERENCES 1. William J. Baumol, Sue Anne Batey Blackman, and Edward N. Wolff. Productivity and American Leadership: The Long View. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1989. 2. Annetine C. Gelijns and Ethan A. Halm, Eds. The Changing Economics of Medical Technology. Washington, D.C.:National Academy Press, 1991. 3. Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, Task Force on National Security. NewThinking and American Defense Technology. New York: Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, 1990. 4. George Heaton, Robert Repetto, and Rodney Sobin. TransformingTechnology: An Agenda for Environmentally Sustainable Growth in the 21st Century. Washington, D.C.: World Resources Institute, 1991. 5. âPapers from the NAS Colloquium on Industrial Ecology,â Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 89, No. 3 (February 1, 1992), pp. 793â1148.

Before understanding the importance of science and technology, it is important for us to understand that science and technology are closely associated with our lives. They are closely linked aspects of society and the studies and developments in both these fields are essential for the overall progress of mankind. Why is technology so important? How does scientific development affect society? Let us find out.

Scientific research comprises a wide variety of fields ranging from the study of different branches of science to relatively advanced fields like space exploration, human genetics, and cloning. Scientific study attempts to explore and understand the working of the physical world. It tries to analyze the occurrences in nature and gain knowledge about nature through experimentation. As scientific research aims at gaining knowledge of the complexities in nature and finding solutions to unsolved problems, it is important for the progress of mankind. The seemingly impossible feats have been made possible, thanks to scientific research.

Natural sciences deal with the study of nature and human life. The studies of natural and artificial sciences reveal the relationship between nature and human life. Research in science has paved a path to many brilliant inventions and discoveries.

When it comes to technological advancement, we cannot forget the automobile and transport industries that have grown tremendously on account of the developments in science and engineering. Technological advancements have driven the developments in the different modes of transport. Bicycles have transformed into scooters and sports bikes. Four and six wheeled vehicles have started running on the roads, thanks to the advancing technology. The developments in air transport have winged the common man to soar high.

The importance of technology lies in its manifold benefits to society. The positive effects of technology are many. The advancement in this field has revolutionized human life. It has provided an impetus to the computer and the telecommunication industry. The developments in communication technology have made the world a smaller place. The Internet serving as an excellent communication platform has made the world flat.

The World Wide Web has proved to be an enormous information base, from which information can be retrieved by the means of search engines. Information from all around the world is housed on the web. Thanks to the development of web technology, the information can be stored in an organized manner and relevant information can be retrieved on supplying search strings to web search engines.

Digitization of information has been a major breakthrough in the world of information technology. It has made possible the compaction of information, which in turn allows efficient information storage.

The most important benefit of science has been the luxury it has brought to daily life. The mechanization of industrial processes has reduced human effort. Household appliances that are in daily use of the common man are a result of developments in science. Machines have replaced human beings in monotonous and risk-bearing tasks. Scientific discoveries have made life easy.

Science and technology have indeed proved to be a boon to human life.

0 thoughts on “Essay On Importance Of Science And Technology In Human Development”

Leave a Comment


What does the word iridescent mean?

    Part of speech: noun

  • Part of speech: adjective

  • Exhibiting changing rainbow colors.

Usage examples for iridescent

  1. Plumage of some species dull, of others iridescent blues and Greens above, whitish or ruddy below. – Bird-Neighbors by Blanchan, Neltje
  2. A cloak of delicate velvet in which all the colors of the rainbow played in iridescent beauty hung from his shoulders. – The Mad Planet by Murray Leinster


Advanced Biology A/B

Subject: College and Career Readiness

Course Description:

To generate skills for lifelong learning, 25 percent of the lessons in Advanced Biology use student-driven, constructivist approaches for concept development. The remaining lessons employ direct-instruction approaches. In both cases, the lessons incorporate multimedia-rich, interactive resources to make learning an engaging experience. The AP approach to advanced biology topics helps students achieve mastery of abstract concepts and their application in everyday life and in STEM-related professions.

Back To Course Catalog


Home » The Eight Growth Pressures of Wastewater Treatment: #1 BOD Loading

The Eight Growth Pressures of Wastewater Treatment: #1 BOD Loading

Growth Pressure #1 BOD Loading

Industrial wastewater treatment involves physical, chemical, and biological approaches. Physical treatment removes suspended solids, settleable solids, and oils and grease. Chemical treatment is often required for effective or enhanced removes dissolved and colloidal solids, nutrients, heavy metals, and oils and grease. And biological treatment removes biodegradable organics and nutrients.

For biological processes, EBS focuses on what we refer to as The Eight Critical Growth Pressures when we assess a secondary system for efficiency and effectiveness. Any factor that affects the microbial community is called a growth pressure. These consist of BOD loading, pH, toxic or inhibitory compounds, dissolved oxygen, retention time, nutrients, viability of the bacteria, and temperature. For the next several newsletters, we will communicate the importance of each growth pressure and how it impacts the biological wastewater treatment process.

Growth Pressure #1: BOD Loading

A fundamental requirement of wastewater treatment is the removal of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) by the bacteria, biomass, or “bugs” (Figure 1).

BOD Food

Figure 1

Hence, the first growth pressure we will discuss is BOD loading (Figure 2), often called “food” for the biomass. BOD is a measure of the quantity of biodegradable material in the water. Yet not all BOD is equal. Some compounds like methanol and sugars are more easily degraded than others such as turpentine and soaps. Consequently, the biological population responds differently to the various food sources. Changes in food source types or quantity will also affect the ability of the biomass to quickly assimilate and degrade BOD.

The standard BOD test for permitting is the 5-day BOD test, written as BOD5. The rationale for the five-day test duration dates back to the early 20th century when a couple of Commissions in Merry Old England selected the 5-day BOD test as the definitive test for organic pollution of rivers. While BOD is the “true” measure of food loading to a secondary wastewater system, it is not a practical measurement for operational purposes of measuring or predicting the loading to a system, since learning five days after the fact makes real-time monitoring and control quite challenging. Consequently, many wastewater operators rely on an alternative measurement, or surrogate, to help estimate what the present food loading to the plant is. The two most common surrogate tests for food loading are Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC).

Why is a discussion on BOD loading important? First, virtually all NPDES permits include a discharge limit on BOD5. It is also a method of gauging the efficiency of biological systems. The ability to effectively and efficiently remove BOD is dependent on the other growth pressures that will be discussed in future articles. The more BOD entering a treatment system, the more dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and/or biomass will be required to achieve complete BOD conversion. Utilizing a surrogate such as COD or TOC can allow the operator to make timely process changes to avoid loss of treatment, poor biomass quality, or even permit violations.

In future articles in the series, we will discuss each of the other Growth Pressures in the context of how they impact the overall biological health and viability of the system.

Learn about the microorganisms in your wastewater treatment system.


Cuts threaten Government’s ‘first duty’

Are cuts leaving the UK's defence force vulnerable?
Are cuts leaving the UK's defence force vulnerable?

There are variations of what the first duty of any government is, but basically they boil down to the protection of the country from invaders and providing safety and security for its citizens.

To fulfil this duty now involves many organisations and includes the defence force, police and security services.

This is a subject of the utmost complexity in a rapidly changing world and is becoming a cause for serious concern for those tasked with keeping us safe.

When I left this country in 1975 the strength of the UK Defence Force was 338,000 (5.5 per cent of GDP). When I came back in 2010 it had fallen by over a third, and it has subsequently continued to shrink to a point where we now have less than half the 1975 figure. We only manage to meet the NATO target of two per cent of GDP by including pension costs.

Sir Richard Barrons, the former Chief of the UK Joint Forces Command, said: “We have reached the point where we risk losing the ability to protect British citizens in times of great jeopardy.”

We couldn’t even hold our own back in the day when we had more manpower – forced to relinquish Basra in Iraq and pulling out of Helmand in Afghanistan where the Americans had to take over.

In the First Iraq War General ‘Storming’ Norman Schwarzkopf launched Operation Desert Storm with more than 500,000 troops under his command, so militarily speaking at least, size does matter.

The number of registered hairdressers in the UK now exceeds the total of our armed forces.

I know that we are using greatly enhanced technology platforms to fight from, and everything from personal kit to aircraft carriers has improved almost beyond recognition. Yet in many projected scenarios, such as Putin sending Russian troops into the Baltic States, it may well come down to the number of boots on the ground.

Potential major conflicts are brewing in the Middle East and Far East, and the problems in Africa will require men, rather than machines.

The new Type 45 destroyer can, apparently, simultaneously track, engage and destroy five times more targets than the old Type 42 it replaced, but it is still only one ship, especially if someone manages to sink it.

The new destroyer was also found to have a minor mechanical fault in that its gas turbine engines cannot operate in warm water, like the Middle East.

The Navy now has fewer ships than the task force deployed by Margaret Thatcher to the Falklands.

The new Lockheed Martin F-35 multi-role fighter, the future backbone of the RAF, is more than $160billion over budget and seven years behind schedule. It has been plagued with design faults and crew safety concerns.

And guess which aircraft will be deployed on our new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers when they are eventually operational? The F35.

Sir Michael Fallon had to resign because of ‘kneegate’ and was replaced as Defence Secretary by Gavin Williamson, who has no previous experience of running any department, but who has consistently voted against the military covenant to treat servicemen and their families fairly.

In ‘Part Two’ I will look at the perilous effects of the continued cuts to police budgets and the consequent decline in service, also how the ‘inmates have taken over the asylum’ at some of our prisons and why the Department For International Aid, with a budget of one third of the defence force, provides taxpayers’ money to six out of 10 of the world’s most corrupt countries.

If only we had a strong and stable Conservative Government to keep us safe... hang on a minute though!