Ramayana and the Illiad

Yogesh Tekwani Professor November 22, 2011 Second Writing Assignment Ramayana and the Iliad are two important literature pieces from Greece and India, both plays are set in time when Gods were known to make appearance on normal basis. The plays are main characters are Achilles and Ram, Achilles is a demi god and Ram is an incarnation of God Vishnu. In the Iliad, Achilles is an arrogant warrior who goes to war to claim glory and fame. In the Ramayana, Ram is a prince who is exiled to the forest. So what is the nature of injustice to the hero in these epics?What customs/values inform the heroes’ responses to this injustice? How do differences in customs/values inform differences in Greek and Hindu literature? What do arete and dharma mean in these cultures? What roles do the gods play in these heroes’ predicaments? The Iliad starts off with sacking of a Trojan’s allied town and two maidens are taken as prized possession from the town, one for Achilles and one for A gamemnon. During a plague, Agamemnon is asked to return his prize and in anger asks Achilles to give him his prize.In anger Achilles draws sword toward Agamemnon’s men and is about to slay when Athena appears to control his anger. Achilles stops fighting for Agamemnon and tells his mother to ask Zeus for revenge on Agamemnon’s army. The Ramayana starts off with Ram, who was the prince of Ayodhya was on his way to get crowned to become a king. Ram who is known for his kind nature is asked by his mother in law to go the forest and live there for 14 years because she wanted her own son to be crowned king. Ram without hesitation accepts the decision and heads to the forest with his wife and his brother.In these two epics we can compare the customs/values that each individual have learned and how they use those customs/values towards their injustice. In the Iliad, when Achilles is told to give up his price, he angrily points his sword at Agamemnon and is ready to kill anyon e who touches his prize. Achilles’s is shown as a self-centered arrogant warrior who cannot accept authority and must use his sword to prove his point. Achilles reactions on this situation is based on his understanding that he a demi god who can easily kill many men and that e only went to war to claim glory. Achilles response though is shown normal in Greek tradition because if injustice is done to anyone, they can easily kill the person to regain justice. In the Ramayana, Ram who is shown as a noble prince who was brought up loving his parents and brothers, he is taught to always respect his elders and never question authority. Ram is told to exile in the forest for 14 years by his step mother; Ram does not question the injustice and accepts his fate. Ram is shown as the purest of men and one who respects his elders does not question authority.Ram is shown as person who lives life without jealousy and glory is not a part of it. When comparing Achilles and Ram, Achilles is s hown as a person who questions authority and does not respect his elders whereas Ram is a person who accepts authority and respects his elders. So how do these the differences in custom/values inform differences in Greek and Hindu Culture? The Hindu culture is more about purity and how a person gains that trait. In Hinduism a person must try to live life with no greed, selfishness and arrogance.A person must completely put all of their faith in the hands of God, as they are trying to gain wisdom and purity for their soles. The Gods play a big part in Hindu cultures because it is through worshipping them that you can be pure, the life that you live now is nothing but an illusion and true life can only be gained by living this illusion as pure as you can. The Greek culture is a little similar to Hindu culture when it comes to looking at the Gods for answers and help but, those are the only similarity between the two.The Greek culture is not based on an illusion and does not mention pu rity of souls to claim a higher standard in life. Greek culture is shown as more of a violent culture where the Gods themselves partake in these actions. The Greek culture also has more involvement from gods when it comes to living a daily life. The customs/values for the Greek culture were based on pride, glory and power because that how the gods motivated the people. In Hindu culture, purity is the only gain and is motivated through a better after life. Dharma also plays a big part in Hindu culture, as it is through dharma a person can become pure.Dharma’s true meaning is personal duties, when a person is born they are given dharma that they must follow to achieve next life. It is never told what your dharma is but it is claimed that you can achieve through doing the right things in life and once you achieve it you will realize it yourself. It can be more than personal duties too, it can also be your calling in life or what you are meant to do even are after you complete yo ur personal duties in life. Through dharma can you only achieve personal satisfaction or even enlightenment that even glory cannot provide.In the Greek Culture, arete is a little similar to dharma because it is also what a person is trying to achieve in their lifetime. Arete is more of excellence of sort that a person is trying to gain through self-improvement. Arete can be excellence in anything a person desires, it is not a self-duty or a calling like dharma. In the Ancient Greek though arete was more of inner strength and courage that one would try to gain in a battle. For example, Hector’s achieved arete when he battled to protected his homeland, his actions were based on his duty to protect his homeland. What roles do gods play in these heroes’ predicament?In the Iliad the gods are more involved and favor sides, Achilles who was a demi god has a god for a mother and she had already told him his fate. During the battle for troy when Achilles was going to slay Agame mnon, Achilles is visited by Athena to check his anger because that can alter the fate of the battle. In the Ramayana, gods never visited Ram when it came to him making a decision, it is only when he going to destroy heave that they visit him. The fate of Ram and Achilles is also predetermined in these epics, Achilles was meant to go to Troy and gain glory through its defeat.Ram’s fate was a little different though because in the Ramayana, Ram himself is an incarnation of Vishnu and he was born to kill Ravana. Both the warriors are gods in these epics but Ram in the Ramayana does not know that he is one. In both the Iliad and the Ramayana, there are injustice done to the heroes of the epic and it is through this injustice it is that these heroes gain glory and happiness. In the Ramayana, Ram is prince who is banished to the forest for 14 years and it is through this injustice that he recognizes his fate and kills Ravana.Ram is shown as a pure man in this epic and not an arrog ant warrior who questions authority and disrespects his elder, Ram’s response to his injustice is not extreme and his acceptance of his fate his is not based on him wanting glory. In the Iliad, Achilles is shown as an arrogant warrior who detests authority and his reaction to his injustice is shown as him drawing his sword towards Agamemnon. The meaning of dharma and arete is also different in these two cultures, dharma is a sort of purity a person is trying to achieve through self-responsibility and purity whereas arete is an excellence a person is trying to achieve abilities.The Gods in these epics play a major part because they are the controlling forces and their choices can alter the ending of each of these epics, in the Iliad if Achilles would have killed Agamemnon and not been stopped by Athena than the epic would have ended differently. In the Ramayana if Ram had questioned the authority for his injustice than the epic would be different. In the Ramayana virtue is sho wn through Ram’s eyes as being as pure as he can be and a happy life can be lived with nothingness. In the Iliad, virtue is shown through Achilles’s eyes gaining glory in the most toughest of wars and life without glory is incomplete.

Correctional Treatment

The United States correctional system supervises over six million convicted offenders in rehabilitation programs a day. There are approximately two million in jail who receive rehabilitation treatment and four million are on parole or probation. With so many people under its control, a central policy issue is what the correctional system hopes to accomplish with those it places behind bars or on community supervision. A simple response might be that the purpose of these correctional sanctions is to â€Å"punish† the criminally wayward. Since the inception of the American penitentiary in the 1820s, however, corrections has embraced as an important goal the transformation of law breakers into the law-abiding—that is, â€Å"rehabilitation† or â€Å"treatment. † While probation and parole are both considered community corrections and involve supervision in the community, they differ in other respects. Probation is a sentencing option available to local judges. Convicted offenders are released by the court to serve a sentence under court-imposed conditions for a specified period. It is considered an alternative to incarceration. In most cases the entire probation sentence is served under supervision in the community. The court retains the authority to supervise, modify conditions, cancel probation and resentence if the probationer violates the terms of probation. The responsible agency for overseeing probation can be either state or local. There are currently more than two thousand separate probation agencies in the United States. There are many types of programs offered to offenders which fit their type of crime. Some of these programs are designed for substance abusers, sex offenders, those whose requires educational counseling, and also programs that teach life skills. Substance abuse rehabilitation happens when the offender undergoes counseling for a dependence on a physically addictive substance, such as drugs or alcohol. Usually, rehabilitation is assigned to those offenders convicted of crimes related to drug abuse or who have admitted to drugs playing a factor into crimes they’ve committed. This treatment involves several forms of therapy such as the commonly know 12-step programs. Also, successful completion of the substance abuse rehabilitation program to be a requirement of parole or probation. Those convicted of sex offenses including rape and child molestation, will undergo special rehabilitation designed to improve the chances that they will not commit another sexual crime. These programs also take different forms, most are specifically for the offense committed. An example would be for those convicted of child molestation, they may undergo counseling designed to help them control urges or change their thought process. For rapists, rehabilitation may involve anger management classes, relationship counseling, or therapy in which they work out their frustrations towards women. Inmates and recently released ex-offenders receive basic education and necessary skills to obtain a job. This type of treatment is classified as educational counseling. The most basic of these programs focus on teaching elementary math and reading skills. More advanced programs help offenders prepare for vocational tests as well as job trades. In addition life skills are taught to inmates in order to become a functioning member of society, such as making a budget or preparing a resume. With learning these simple tasks and learning how to manage finances offenders may possibly not commit crimes involving money. Correctional Treatment The United States correctional system supervises over six million convicted offenders in rehabilitation programs a day. There are approximately two million in jail who receive rehabilitation treatment and four million are on parole or probation. With so many people under its control, a central policy issue is what the correctional system hopes to accomplish with those it places behind bars or on community supervision. A simple response might be that the purpose of these correctional sanctions is to â€Å"punish† the criminally wayward. Since the inception of the American penitentiary in the 1820s, however, corrections has embraced as an important goal the transformation of law breakers into the law-abiding—that is, â€Å"rehabilitation† or â€Å"treatment. † While probation and parole are both considered community corrections and involve supervision in the community, they differ in other respects. Probation is a sentencing option available to local judges. Convicted offenders are released by the court to serve a sentence under court-imposed conditions for a specified period. It is considered an alternative to incarceration. In most cases the entire probation sentence is served under supervision in the community. The court retains the authority to supervise, modify conditions, cancel probation and resentence if the probationer violates the terms of probation. The responsible agency for overseeing probation can be either state or local. There are currently more than two thousand separate probation agencies in the United States. There are many types of programs offered to offenders which fit their type of crime. Some of these programs are designed for substance abusers, sex offenders, those whose requires educational counseling, and also programs that teach life skills. Substance abuse rehabilitation happens when the offender undergoes counseling for a dependence on a physically addictive substance, such as drugs or alcohol. Usually, rehabilitation is assigned to those offenders convicted of crimes related to drug abuse or who have admitted to drugs playing a factor into crimes they’ve committed. This treatment involves several forms of therapy such as the commonly know 12-step programs. Also, successful completion of the substance abuse rehabilitation program to be a requirement of parole or probation. Those convicted of sex offenses including rape and child molestation, will undergo special rehabilitation designed to improve the chances that they will not commit another sexual crime. These programs also take different forms, most are specifically for the offense committed. An example would be for those convicted of child molestation, they may undergo counseling designed to help them control urges or change their thought process. For rapists, rehabilitation may involve anger management classes, relationship counseling, or therapy in which they work out their frustrations towards women. Inmates and recently released ex-offenders receive basic education and necessary skills to obtain a job. This type of treatment is classified as educational counseling. The most basic of these programs focus on teaching elementary math and reading skills. More advanced programs help offenders prepare for vocational tests as well as job trades. In addition life skills are taught to inmates in order to become a functioning member of society, such as making a budget or preparing a resume. With learning these simple tasks and learning how to manage finances offenders may possibly not commit crimes involving money.

Biographies of Oneil and Adele Cannon Essay Example for Free

Biographies of Oneil and Adele Cannon Essay Oneil and Adele Cannon will be honored this year as they celebrate fifty years of an activist marriage. The following is just a short summary of the many ways Oneil and Adele Cannon have contributed to the history of Los Angeles. The great French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78) wrote in his work Emile: â€Å"there is no happiness without courage nor virtue without struggle†. This is a quote that certainly can apply to the lives of Oneil Cannon and his wife Adele. As they celebrate fifty years of an activist marriage, their life journey has exemplified the qualities of courage and struggle. The causes that they have fought together are a chronicle of the progressive movement over the last half century. Oneil Cannon was born in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana on January 28, 1917. He attended grammar and high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. In his 20’s he was drafted into the Army in Louisiana. He first visited L. A. during his furlough from the Army, to visit his sister and younger brother. He met and married his first wife, Elizabeth, in New Orleans in 1939. After his discharge from the Army in 1945 he felt that Los Angeles would probably offer better opportunities for a man and his young family, so they moved to Watts. This was during the era of a large migration of African-Americans from the south to California and other northern states. In order to sustain an income in those beginning years, he had various jobs. In 1946 he obtained a position as an Insurance Agent with the historical Golden State Insurance Company (the first insurance company to predominantly serve the African American community in Los Angeles). As Oneil puts it: â€Å"My brother Fred and I had opened our own printing shop in Watts before either of us knew very much about printing. We were both just out of the Army (World War II) and after a time, we decided that I would go to school and learn printing. I studied printing at Frank Wiggins Trade School which later became Trade Tech Junior College in the years 1947 to 1950. Fred would stay and take care of the shop and then I would come home and teach my brother what I learned at school about printing. That was my job. That’s the way we did it. So we both became printers at the same time, but I became a printing teacher, the same day that I became a printing student. We ran the shop and studied between meetings and other community activities, which we were both involved in Mrs. Carlotta Bass, editor and publisher of the California Eagle Newspaper, (who also introduced Oneil to Paul Robeson) also had a printing shop needing someone to take it over at that time. So Oneil went in and made a deal with her–she rented him the use of the printing shop. Therefore Oneil was in business for himself as the California Eagle Printing Company (1950-55). Also, he still worked with his brother at the Quick Service Advertisers Print Shop on 111th and Wilmington. They printed signs, leaflets and advertisements for various funeral establishments, political causes and groups, and businesses in the community. One day Carlotta Bass came into the printishop with some people to talk to Oneil about the Printers Union. Because of his hands-on work and training as a printer, they invited him to join in starting a campaign to break the color line in the Printers Union. This was a significant point in continuing the struggle for equal opportunities for all, and shows his genuine concern and courage to bring justice to the community. Philip â€Å"Slim† Connelly from the CIO, asked if he could participate in this very important campaign. Prior to this time, the Union did not have any African American members. Considering Oneil’s history of activism, from the voting rights movement in the south in the 1930’s, to being involved in breaking the color bar in the International Typographical Union (ITU), this was one of the most important, telling and dramatic labors of his life. Oneil stated, â€Å"This is how I got started to working on getting into a printing union. After getting all sorts of â€Å"run arounds† from printing unions, somehow some of the Communists who were in the ITU came to me and offered to help, if I was really interested in breaking the Jim Crow status in the printing industry and unions in Los Angeles. I had absolutely no doubts that I was ready for this struggle; â€Å"a piece of cake†, after all, hadn’t I just come from â€Å"Jim Crow† Louisiana where I’d lived all my life, and hadn’t I just gotten out, after three years in a â€Å"Jim Crow† Army. I had been all over Los Angeles looking for, and working on different jobs. But you â€Å"ain’t† lived until you have to deal with well-organized trade union bigots. These dudes were really pros. Interestingly, I never once heard them attacking my desire for membership on the basis of race, but only because the people who advocated my membership were Communists. Incidentally, I never saw any membership cards, but saw that they knew of my efforts to become a printers union member, and that they were the ones who came to my assistance. Logic tells me that there was something strange about the Union’s argument, because if they hated Communists so badly, why were these white Communists â€Å"in the union†, and not one African American? This point was raised by one of the comrades on the union floor and he was roundly booed, but not put out of the union. † Oneil finally became a member of the Printers Union, but then was never sent out to jobs. When he went to the Union Hall, somehow there was no work for him. However, some of his friends benefited by Oneil breaking that barrier, and did get jobs. So the struggle continued. Meanwhile, Oneil continued operating his own â€Å"Union† printing business Fidelity Lettershop, which he continues to run today. â€Å"I ended up not only running my own printing shop, but also teaching graphic arts at S. T. E. P. ne of the â€Å"Poverty Programs† and eventually I retired as a California State credentialed graphic arts teacher in 1999. This is where he first met (now Congresswoman) Maxine Waters. I still teach on a volunteer basis at the Paul Robeson Center in south Los Angeles, of which I am the director. I’ve been teaching printing a long time. † Oneil and Adele met in 1947, while working together as part of a political team in South Los Angeles during the campaign to put Henry Wallace (who was running against Truman) and the Independent Progressive Party (IPP) on the Ballot. Adele was also an activist, beginning with the Franklin Roosevelt campaign as a precinct worker. Adele Marx Rosenfield was born in El Paso, Texas in 1923. Her family moved to California in about 1936 and she graduated from Fairfax High School in 1940. She then attended UCLA to study Chemistry. After Pearl Harbor, she enlisted in the WAVES, but was discharged after only 17 days due to â€Å"political activities in civilian life†. It turned out the government had interviewed a friend of the family who told of her activities. She married and had two children—Jan and Dale Goodman. Adele and Oneil were married in December, 1954. When her youngest child, Jan Goodman, was in Junior High School she went back to school at UCLA Extension and then for her Masters of Business Administration at Cal State Dominguez, while working as an office manager, and raising a family. After earning her CPA and working as a full-time accountant, she served as the Peace and Freedom Party’s State Treasurer for 16 years and is still a State Officer of the Peace and Freedom Party. Since starting to work together as part of a political team in South Los Angeles during the campaign to put Henry Wallace and the Independent Progressive Party (IPP) on the ballot in the late 1940’s, they continued as a team when fighting to free the Rosenbergs and later Angela Davis. One fight always led to another, as they fought as part of the IPP to force employers to hire African and Mexican- Americans, where the slogon was â€Å"don’t bank or buy where you can’t work†. As part of the South-East Inter-Racial Council, they fought to end segregated housing and restrictive covenants and to bring Negro History Week into the Los Angeles City Schools. Always striving to bring peace, they gathered signatures to the Stockholm Peace Petition, fought and demonstrated against the wars in Vietnam and continue to fight for Middle East peace. As they raised their six kids, the Cannons fought to bring equal education to South Los Angeles, including the multi-years struggle led by Odessa Cox to bring a Junior college to South Los Angeles, which culminated in the establishment of Southwest Community College. They were also involved from the beginning to acquire a health facility of some kind in Watts, which ultimately came under the leadership of Ted and Bernice Watkins and the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC), a predecessor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital. Oneil Cannon is known to current activists as owner/operator/union printer at his print shop, Fidelity Educational Press. Oneil, along with his wife Adele and others co-founded the Paul Robeson Community Center in 1986. When they were thinking about a name for this Center, their daughter Jan Goodman suggested it be named in honor of Paul Robeson since their goal was to establish a multi-cultural/multi-ethnic community center. Therefore, who better to exemplify multi-culturalism than Paul Robeson. In the Cannons’ fifty years as a team, they have certainly lived their motto to improve our community. Instead of leaving when the kids were grown, they stayed to continue the fight for better schools and living conditions in South Los Angeles. In this way they have been able to truly contribute to a multi-cultural South Los Angeles. Biographies of Oneil and Adele Cannon. (2017, Jan 14).

Changes in Financial Reporting for a Nevada Casino in regards to Essay

Changes in Financial Reporting for a Nevada Casino in regards to Regulation 9A and the SarbanOxley Act - Essay Example With this in mind, it can be stated that the influence of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act adoption in 2002 on the financial reporting of the Nevada casinos is quite comparable to that of the other public companies. On the contrary, the impact of the Regulation 6A which was put into effect in 1997 was much more specific in nature. Both of these legislative acts, however, became two more integral parts of extremely complex regulative environment the gambling industry operates in. The major requirements that explicitly affect the Nevada casinos, besides the restrictions on the audit procedures, pension funds blackout periods and restriction on loans to senior management, are corporate responsibility regulations and use of the non-GAAP financial measures in press-releases and reports. The CEO and CFO of each issuer shall prepare a statement to accompany the audit report to certify the "appropriateness of the financial statements and disclosures contained in the periodic report, and that those financial statements and disclosures fairly present, in all material respects, the operations and financial condition of the issuer." A violation of this section must be knowing and intentional to give rise to liability. (AICPA) TheThe issue of the use of non-GAAP financial measures in information releases through mass media or corporate reports is quite important for the casinos because these channels are used not only for communicating data to the investors, but as well for the PR-purposes with the general audience. SEC Regulation G (adopted under 401(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) regulates this issue and provides that the use of non-GAAP financial measures in press releases or other public disclosures must be accompanied by a presentation of, and reconciliation to, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. (Martin 1) The Regulation 6A named "Cash Transactions prohibitions, reporting, and recordkeeping" closely addresses, on the other hand, the very characteristic feature of the casino business - the cash transactions. It is part of the Nevada's regulatory system for currency transaction reporting which, according to the Nevada Gaming Commission and State Control Board consists of the following: NGC Regulation 6A adopted January 1997 effective May 1, 1997 (prior version adopted and effective May 7, 1985). The regulation was amended March 20, 2003 to delete state suspicious transaction reporting requirements and was effective immediately upon adoption. NGC Regulation 6.090 Currency Transaction Reporting Minimum Internal Control Standards (6A MICS). Version 3 required compliance as of May 1, 1997. CPA 6A MICS Compliance Reporting Requirements (CPA 6A MICS Requirements). Version 1 required compliance as of November 1, 1997. Internal Audit Compliance Checklists for Currency Transaction Reporting. Version 1 required usage for any work performed for fiscal years ended April 30, 2001 and thereafter. (Currency Transaction Reporting 1) The restrictions set by the Regulation 6A on the cash transact

NGOs performing governmental functions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

NGOs performing governmental functions - Essay Example However, there are cases where these NGOs work alongside or in collaboration with government organizations to pursue broader communal efforts that have various political agendas. In such instances, the NGOs ensure that it does not include any politicians or representatives of government in their organizational operations, thereby retaining its non-governmental position. This paper will cover how the non-government organization (NGOs) came into existence, their purpose, and how these organizations affect or help the government. The paper will also discuss the role of NGOs as a government subsidiary in performing important government functions, and will highlight key organizations that have performed humanitarian or development-oriented work in collaboration of various government agencies. History of NGOs Non-governmental organizations were present in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century fighting for women rights, and engaged in movements against slavery. The World D isarmament Conference was seen as the biggest showcase for non-governmental organizations, with the official term of NGO coming into existence with the United Nations Organization in 1945. The United Nations gave legal provisions to these organizations and they were categorized as neither government bodies nor a member organisation or state of United Nations; instead the United Nations defines a Non-Governmental Organisation as autonomous associations of people not obliged under any international treaty, working in humanitarian and charitable work, and bringing common people close to the governments (Chiang, 1981). It is imperative for NGOs to have extensive networking relationships across borders to be successful. It needs to incorporate various cultural, political and religious values of each country and operate according to the legal structures in which these countries allow these non-governmental organizations to function. They are broadly classified under four main groups globa lly, which include â€Å"Unincorporated and voluntary association†, â€Å"Trusts, charities and foundations†, â€Å"Companies not just for profit† and â€Å"Entities formed or registered under special NGO or non-profit laws† (Stillman 2007). Once the term NGO was coined, the western countries saw an extensive increase in the development of non-governmental organizations, as these countries were in a transitional period of structuring their country and defining it as a welfare state. The significance of NGOs increased even further with the fall of Communism, and rapid Globalisation, as many problems were seen having magnitude beyond the scope of a single nation and could only be dealt under an international enterprise (Langhorne, The Coming of Globalization 2001). World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Economic Forum are examples of such international treaties but they are capitalist in nature. Many feel that these organizations do more harm than aid thi rd world economies as they are used as tools to dictate western political agendas in these countries. Therefore, many NGOs have developed to counterbalance this trend, with emphasis in sustainable development, developmental aid, and humanitarian issues (Langhorne 2006). One example of such organization is World Social Forum, but yet there are criticisms as to the role the NGOs undertake. They

Does Alexander The Great Merit His Exalted Historical Reputation Essay

Does Alexander The Great Merit His Exalted Historical Reputation - Essay Example The author has rightly presented that Alexander was a military leader who led from the front, a trait that imbued his soldiers with confidence and enthusiasm. The researcher states that in a Greek context he commanded the loyalty and following of almost all the Greek city states and he made it a point never to step on the sovereignty and traditions of the Greek city states. This essay discusses that Alexander’s vision as a conqueror aimed at forging a cultural, economic and political unity between Macedonia and the Asian territories he annexed to his empire. However, from the research it can be comprehended that Alexander as a military leader happened to be impulsive and it was just owing to his good luck that he escaped getting killed in many of his foolhardy ventures. The author has rightly presented that many a times Alexander failed to understand the aspirations and sentiments of his loyal Macedonian troops, which resulted in resentment and discontent amongst them. The pre sent research has identified that Alexander merely focused on conquering new territories in Asia, without evincing the ability to install stable and lasting administrative machinery in them. This paper illustrates that the fame Alexander accrued is well deserved in the sense that the dream he embarked on happened to be too big and ambitious, ever to be attempted by a mortal in the world history.

Puerto Rican Americian Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Puerto Rican Americian - Essay Example In 1508 Juan Ponce De Leon took over the island in the search of gold and killed many natives in this quest. Many of the Tainos were killed in this quest and the remaining Tainos fleed away to the mountains to save themselves. It was then that human trade began on this island and half the population of the island consisted of these slaves of African origin. In 1898 the Spanish American war decided the fate of the island in the hands of the United States. The island has ever since been in the control of United States and the people have accepted the fact by cutting down on their movement launched against the US. It has its own government but the presence of the American military is disturbing for some of the Puerto Ricans. The culture of the country is a blend between the natives and the African culture. People there can have the darkest of skin or they can even have a freckled white skin. The diverse culture of the country is the most interesting point along with the occasions that t he people of Puerto Rico celebrate. Traditions and culture would be the most important part of this essay and is discussed in the following paragraphs (Morris 1995; Galvan 2009). Importance of Puerto Rico to the United States Puerto Rico has proved to be an important territory for the United States as it can access different states through this region. It has also proved to be a region in which they can train and test their weapons. The bases of United States in Panama were closed in 1999 and Puerto Rico has ever since served the purpose (Giger & Davidhizar 2008). Economy of Puerto Rico The economics of the country depend upon different sources mainly tourism and different crops. The climate of the region ranges from 75 degree Farenheit to 85 degrees Farenheit. It has one of the most beautiful cruise ship ports known as San Juan. The tourism of the territory depends upon different resources and beaches and ports are one of these resources. Resorts and attractive destinations have pr oved to be a tourist attraction. The economy also depends upon different crops which include coffee, pineapples, mangos and plants. Although its economy is not suffering from any blow the per capita income of the state is still low in comparison to the United States of America (Giger & Davidhizar 2008). Culture of Puerto Rico The culture of Puerto Rico is diverse and people from different backgrounds reside in the region. The language spoken in the region is English and Spanish. The people of Puerto Rico are known for their hospitality and love. People in Puerto Rico express their love through gifts and homemade food. If a guest rejects a gift it might be considered as an insult by the individual who gifts. The celebrations in the region are respected by many people. The people of Puerto Rico also celebrate the holidays of the United States along with their own designated holidays. Puerto Rico Day, Three Kings Day and Constitution Day are all celebrated as the holidays of Puerto Ric o. Most of the people living in Puerto Rico are Catholics and they celebrate their holidays accordingly (Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 1997; Morris & Bonilla 1997). Family values are respected a lot in the region and people have to live according to the old traditions. Marriage is a respected institution in the culture as they believe that having a kin is very important to expand their family. Although

Gender and attendace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gender and attendace - Essay Example universities will only be able to provide the society with people with undergraduate graduation certificate instead of constructers with knowledge, self-discipline and integrity. Barlow (2011) defines absenteeism as a failure to regularly attend timetabled sessions such as seminars, lectures and practical or laboratory classes. In the UK, research has shown that student non-attendance at lectures and seminars is an area for concern (Morgan 2001). Thomas (2008) found that students who attained first-class grades also had the highest attendance rates. Newman-Ford et al. (2008) also found a strong positive relationship between attendance and performance across 22 compulsory modules in four degree schemes. In addition, Clark and Gill (2010) examined the relationship between attendance and performance, in a study consisting of 304 students. The study shows a very high attendance is significantly associated with an improvement in performance. Moreover, a study by Woodfield, Jessop, and Mcm illan (2006) revealed that men are more likely to be absent from classes than women, with the worst offenders being males with the highest levels of prior academic achievement. This establishes the need to investigate the possible relationship between gender and class attendance towards a better understanding of performance by gender and this forms the basis of the study. It is understood that Undergraduates play truant mainly because they couldn’t bear listening to teachers in class. As time passes, they don’t know what they learn for. They don’t have future directions, so they play truant, thus forming a vicious cycle. Barlow (2011) The main focus is the gender difference in student attendance rates, and the potential reasons why differential attendance rates may occur between male and female students, and whether they denote different academic achievement levels. The study is only limited to the students within the University XXXXX, where the study will focus on the

By suggesting the kinds of defense mechanisms that deadened human Essay

By suggesting the kinds of defense mechanisms that deadened human responses to horror, Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Gas Chamber, - Essay Example In 1923, Germany’s economy was in succession and its goods were sold abroad to secure the nations’ exports abroad. The industries that bribed politicians got bankrupt and people had to claim their jobs by working without being paid making them frustrated in the process. The situation in German’s economic sector was not well planned thus it affected the country greatly. This was because competition in the economy was rapidly increasing leading to a split in the government’s authority. This led to power sharing within the government, and the Germans were not contented with it because they got direct opposition from Berlin thus the parties become democratic champions as they were running the economy. It was believed in 1933 that the German government was collapsing as Franklin Roosevelt was not able to solve the crisis that was befalling them because the country was bankrupt and needed a lot of money for the top. Hitler came into power and had to make the eco nomy rise from its bankruptcy, by recruiting new members to direct them in SA. Hitler knew that he was making rushed decisions, and it was a hard task for him to accomplish alone, therefore help was required. Hitler transformed Germany into structures of the state, social law and the constitution of the society to attain his goal of stabilizing the state and free his nation from foreign powers and maintain geography at large. This was a mechanism that deadened human responses to horror as he grabbed the people unaware (Hunt, 625). The sanctions and poor economy convinced citizens that Hitler was not serious with stabilizing the economy because they were bankrupt. He made improvements in the government leading to a rise in the economy as he was obliged to pick his cabinet of National Socialists. Afterwards, Hitler came into power in a democratic way because he had stabilized the economy of the state without seeking help. All this led to an improved economy since profit rose above the minimal stabilizer. That was incredible and made anti-Nazi historians give up because of the defeat they had received from Hitler’s revolution that had brought changes to Germany. Hitler obtained plenary power that made him the nation’s supreme democratic making the Germans view him as a legend. During the First World War, Feldmarschall was fond of traditions, and Hitler wanted the traditions to take place so as to see the Reichstag to convince them (Hunt, 641). Germany was on top of the Reichswehr, which was an object of Hitler to courtship. Hitler appointed a chancellor without asking opinion from the rest of the committee and they got angry as it was done without their consent. Feldmarschall sent General von Hammerstein Equord who came to Hindenburg of general staff and disapproved. Hitler and Dr. Goebbels had taken control of nation radio and making it their tool to broadcast power hitherto. Hitler was carefully planning and managing soldiers for the great renewal as many government officials, army officers, lawyers and judges had abandoned their work. Hitler wanted to acquire officials and rectify the Reichstag. This would establish authority to govern virtual dictatorship to gain powers lawfully as the Germans constitution had amended. Hitler won the elections and Germany national government came up with a solution against political particulars. His intention was to devise plans from retirement

Action report 4 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Action report 4 - Article Example The most affected are the young workers looking for the first opportunity to have a job as they have no experience. Also, the increase in the minimum wage reduces the freedom of the American citizens in spending. This is because there will be increase in the price of services and products in the economy (Schmitt, 18). Also according to the article, â€Å"Why Does the Minimum Wage Have No Discernible Effect on Employment,† research has evidently shown that minimum wage has no discernible effect on the employment practice of the low-wage earners. This is because the cost of the minimum wage in most firms is relatively small and that employers have many channels of adjustments. One channel of adjustment is that employers may reduce their expenditures on job training for low wage workers. Employers may also adjust by upgrading the skill level of their workforce and work against the employment of the less-experienced and less-educated workers. Employers in a highly competitive economy may also respond to a high minimum wage by passing the added cost to the consumers in form of high prices (Schmitt, 16). In conclusion, employers can cut pay to more highly paid workers, shift the composition towards higher skilled workers and accept a smaller profit margin as minimum wage has no discernible effect on employment. As for the workers, they may respond to the higher wage by working harder on the job and reducing labor turnover which enables the employers to save on

Bias, Rhetorical Devices and Argumentation Essay Example for Free

Bias, Rhetorical Devices and Argumentation Essay The speech it obviously catering towards females, the speech was presented at a U.N. Women’s Conference, this speech is about the rights women should expect to receive under human rights. While using the politics to reinforce the rights of women she is using political bias and she is using a gender bias. Rhetorical Devices This speech has a couple rhetorical devices, the first one I found was a Rhetorical question when she said, â€Å"Wasn’t it after all after the women’s conference in Nairobi ten years ago that the world focused for the first time on the crisis of domestic violence?† Secondly there was a few sections were Parallelism was used when she said; â€Å"If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well†. Then again when she stated; â€Å"It is a violation of human rights when babies are denied food, or drowned, or suffocated, or their spines broken, simply because they are born girls. It is a violation of human rights when women and girls are sold into the slavery of prostitution for human greed and the kinds of reasons that are used to justify this practice should no longer be tolerated†. Fallacies Towards the end of the speech a Slippery slope fallacies was used when she stated â€Å"As long as discrimination and inequities remain so commonplace everywhere in the world, as long as girls and women are valued less, fed less, fed last, overworked, underpaid, not schooled, subjected to violence in and outside their homes the potential of the human family to create a peaceful, prosperous world will not be realized†. Argumentation This speech met the standard for stating an argument and protecting against counter arguments by stating facts that the opposition cannot challenge. There was use of statistics to support Mrs. Clinton’s argument that women and girls have the same rights as everyone else. She presented her argument in a persuasive way, using her gender to persuade other people of the same gender to understand the issue and presented what needed to be changed. I would say that the argument she presented was very effective. The crowd was applauding the speech instead of using silence to show their disapproval of the words that were said.

Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union: A Comparison and Contrast

Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union: A Comparison and Contrast In comparing and contrasting the governments of Nazi German and the Soviet Union one has to research the political ideology of both Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin and the types of governments they both headed. Adolph Hitler leaned towards Mussolinis Fascism whereas Joseph Stalin leaned toward Totalitarianism Totalitarianism Totalitarianism are hierarchies that are dominated by a single political party and usually one political leader and is a form of government in which the state monopolizes all the resources in an effort to control all areas of both private and public life. This is done through the use of misinformation, fear, and technology. Totalitarianism rejects the existing government as being corrupt, immoral, and beyond fixing and as a result the paint a picture in which these wrongs are to be corrected and then provide plans and programs to implement a new government. These ideologies which are carried out by propaganda campaigns then demand total obedience from the people. Fascism The Fascism movement began in 1919 in Italy and Europe and was an authoritarian political movement that happened after World War One due to the social and political changes of the time as well as due to the spread of socialism and Communism. Fascism derived its name from the fasces which was ancient symbol of Roman authority which was pictured as a bundle of rods and an ax. The early Fascist movement was a combination of right and left wing ideas that put an emphasizes on production, elitism, the need for a strong leader, anti-socialism, and nationalism. Similarities The role of the leaders was the most striking similarity in the political structure of both systems with Hitler in Germany and Stalin in Russia. Both leaders influence was so great that historians find it complicated to separate the system from the man in referring to Stalins Russia and Hitlers Germany. Both systems were not only headed by a single person, they were also dominated by a single party, with the Nazis in Germany and the Communist in the Soviet Union. Both were also driven by an ideology, fascism in Germany and communism in the Soviet Union. Differences In Germany the status of the Hitler sect of Nazism was much more consequential. In a sense the Hitler sect was Nazism. It is hard to imagine the Nazi Party without Hitler this being because of Hitlers personality. It has been observed that Hitlers leadership style lead to Nazisms inability to reproduce itself in a methodical way and to its irrationality. Hitler was completely avoided established patterns and procedures for work, when asked how a party member should progress up the ladder to become, say, a regional chief, and his answer was that the individual should show his suitability by simply seizing the post, i.e. by proving himself in action. In this way he expected a shapeless Nazi movement to evolve by a process of natural selection by choosing those he thought most worthy of loyalty to him. The Hitler administration lacked a rational order which the ultimate result would be its downfall due radicalization in conditions of administrative chaos. In Ian Kershaws words, Hitlers leadership was utterly incompatible with a rational decision-making process, or with a coherent, unified administration and the attainment of limited goals . . . its self-destructive capacity unmistakable, its eventual demise certain. (Working Towards the FÃ ¼hrer. Reflections on the Nature of the Hitler Dictatorship . ) The greater threat to all of humanity was Nazi Germany, ironically it was the Soviet Union that liberated Eastern Europe and was the main force that defeated Nazi Germany, and as a result saved Europe and the world from the Nazism. . even though it was unintentionally, the Soviets saved the Baltic nations, the Poles, the Ukrainians, the Czechs, and others, from an intended Nazi genocide. This was not an attempt to be a total physical annihilation, as with the Jews, but just disappearance of these groups. Stalin was not interested in supporting Jews in thier fight against Germany. Stalin, Molotov and others almost always rejected the mention of Jews as specific groups of victims when talking about crimes of the Wehrmacht or the Germans in general. Even with his anti-semitic views, this should not diminish the role played by Stalin and the Soviet Union as the major force that brought about the defeat and surrender of Nazi Germany whose goals was the goal of annihilating the Jewish peop le. With Germanys defeatm lives of untold millions of Jews was saved. Conclusion Even though both regimes wanted a Superior Race Nazi Germanny wanted a total annilatization of undesirables where the Soviet Union wanted the undesirables out of the land. Nazi Germany was willing to commite genocide to obtain their goals of a racially pure nation. Both were gulity of millions of innocent people. References: Grobman, G. M. (1990). Nazi Fascism and the Modern Totalitarian State. In Remember.org [A Cybrary of the Holocaust]. Retrieved December 2, 2009, from http://remember.org/guide/Facts.root.nazi.htmlJames, H. (2003). The Twentieth Century in an Iron Cage: Modernization and Rationalization. In Europe Reborn: A History, 1914 2000Great Britain: Pearson/Longman. Bauer, Y. (n.d. ). On Comparisons between Nazi Germany and the Soviet regime. In Memorial Service [A politically independent organization that apart sets with the causes and consequences of Nazism and its crimes. ]. Retrieved December 2, 2009, from http://www.gedenkdienst.or.at/fileadmin/user_upload/yehuda_bauer_-_23_august.pdf Thomas A Idinopulos. (2000). How Yehuda Bauers critique of Holocaust thinking has changed my mind. Journal of Ecumenical Studies,37(3/4),444-454. Retrieved December 2, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID:103770793). Kershaw, I. (1993, July). Working Towards the FÃ ¼hrer. Reflections on the Nature of the Hitler Dictatorship . Contemporary European History, 2(2), 103-118.

Analysis Of A Modern China Family English Literature Essay

Analysis Of A Modern China Family English Literature Essay Pa Chins Family is a historical, semi-autobiographical narrative of the hardships endured by the members of an aristocratic family during the massive transformation in Chinese social and political order that took place during the early 20th century. The central conflict that is embodied in the novel is the inability of the individuals portrayed in the narrative to move past the often oppressive traditional social constructs that prevent them from moving forward in light of the new revolutionary paradigm that was sweeping the country. Three brothers, Chueh-hui, Chueh-min and Chueh-hsin, are the central figures in this narrative, and the struggle to balance the responsibilities imposed upon them by the traditional order and their desire for radical change defines the essential subject matter of the novel. These conflicting desires tear them apart and force them to either adapt or be left in the past. The work embodies the voice of a nation that was steeped in contradiction, and demonstrates throughout its passages strong underlying themes of societal disillusionment and unrest. By offering a unique insight into the most personal aspects of life during this tumultuous period of Chinese history, Family offers the historian a critical perspective on the psychological underpinnings of a society undergoing fundamental changes in structure. The increasingly pronounced dichotomy between old and new is critical to the understanding of the narrative in this story. This is represented at numerous avenues, but is revealed most blatantly in a sequence where Chueh-huis ponders upon his grandfathers sleeping body and through careful analysis comes to the realization that the old man ultimately represents not his grandfather, but an entire generation and that he himself was similarly the representative of his own generation. Reflecting further upon this observation leads him to the conclusion that they could never see eye-to-eye. (Chin 64). This conclusion is important, and foreshadows the inability of China to reconcile the two radically divergent world-views; there would be an ultimate clash between traditionalism and socialist progressivism that tears apart not only the country, but all the bonds that are held within. This antagonism between the old and the new similarly crosses historical lines, with historical texts demonstrating a fundamental disconnect between the traditional constructs that served as the guidance of Chinas actions on the world stage for generations and a powerful need for reform that threatened to sweep away these traditional systems. In Madame Sun Yat-Sens public address concerning the political left, she opens with the following: if China is to survive as an independent country in the modern struggle of nations, her semi- feudal conditions of life must be fundamentally changed and a modern state created to replace the medieval system which has existed for more than a thousand years. This task needs to be done by the method of revolution (Cheng Lestz 267). Statements such as these reflect a growing animosity towards traditional social constructs, in this instance painting them as medieval. This attitude is indicative of an unwillingness to compromise with the past in order to move forward it must be burned away to make room for the new. Critically, it must be recognized that the ultimate impetus of this rebellion was not reform for the sake of general development or even reform for the purpose of furthering China as a nation, but as a means to catch up with the West. Here we see a marked transformation; China is no longer the smirking, dominant nation who expects Western nations to cow-tow to the whim of the Emperor, but a third-rate nation with a collapsing political system that is forced to play catch-up to the burgeoning Western powers. A palpable sense of inferiority can be observed when reading political material originating from this period, permeating all layers of Chinese society. The New Life movement can be seen as an extension of this pathological national insecurity; it is an attempt to emulate the West. In Madame Chiangs address on the matter, she states that Each nation, according to its lights, has sought to find a way out of stagnation into normalcy. Italy has its fascism, Germany its Nazism and America its New Deal (Cheng Lestz 295). This can be interpreted as indicative of Chinas interests to pursue the developmental patterns of the West; in the psyche of the Chinese they can no longer carve their own path in history only hope to follow the path of the West without losing the essential Chinese spirit, which is largely based on Confucian values. This attempt to reconcile the past with the present parallels many of the hardships endured by the brothers in Family. An interesting aspect of the story is the employment of the third-person narrative in order to divulge the various characters in the story in a setting where there is clearly a great degree of confusion regarding social and moral normality. By nature of this form of narration, we are sometimes limited in the psychological motivations and inner feelings of many of the characters in the novel. This is an important plot device in some instances; we do not learn anything of Master Kaos innermost thoughts until just before his death, at which point he is revealed to be a man of a good nature who holds only the best intentions for his family. In the narrative, three promising young women are ultimately destroyed by the family: Ming-feng, Jui-cheuh and Mei. This serves not only as the reason for Cheui-huis decision to abandon his family and, by extension, the traditionalist teachings of Master Kao, but a statement of the way in which traditional Chinese society exploits women in such a manner as to deprive from them the will to live. Despite the seeming lack of regard for their welfare, loss of the women is felt acutely by all members of the family, considerably more so in comparison to Master Kao, where after his passing the major concern is the dividing of his wealth and assets (Chin 295-296). This belies the fact that there was little love for the harsh Master amongst these closest to him; the love is a fascade, like all things in the traditional life. The death of Jui-cheuh was especially hard on Cheuh-hui, who felt that the baby was an enemy who had taken his beloved, then went so far as to blame the entire social order and, by extension, his own conformity to the traditional order, for having made him so weak as to be unable to save the two women that he loved: What had taken his wife away was something else. It was the entire social system, with its moral code its superstitions. He had borne them for years while they stole his youth, his happiness, his future, the two women he had loved most In the world. They were too heavy a burden; he wanted to shake them off; he struggled (Chin 309). Throughout the novel we are confronted with a Cheuh-hui that is deeply troubled by his inner hatreds and insecurities; here it is manifested in a way that is blatant to the reader and presented in a way as to make the deep-seated societal dysfunction that is the underlying theme of the novel explicit in a dramatic fashion. In Family, the brothers are ultimately driven apart, with Cheuh-hui leaving in disgust of the events that had taken place, and unable to reconcile with the past. Similar changes had also taken hold of the other brothers, whom had turned against the family either in fact or in spirit with a deep chasm growing between the siblings with the elapse of time only narrowly being reconciled by last-minute efforts to make peace with one another. Examples of such attempts include Master Kaos assertions that Cheuh-hui was a good child (Chin 289) and Cheuh-hui promising Cheuh-hsin that not only would he write, but that they would surely see one another again in the future. It is a hopeful yet sad parting, with each of the brothers attempting to make good with one another in the recognition of the fact that they have all been forced to endure extreme hardship. Family is the biography of a China that cannot reconcile with itself through any means other than destruction of the old. As Cheuh-hui is forced to endure the loss of everything that he has cherished in his life in order to break free of the traditional order that has bound him to a life that is filled with sorrow and anger, China is also forced to contend with a similar situation . Change does not and cannot come as a compromise, such as Chiangs New Life movement, but as a radical communist insurrection that simply erases the past and sews the seeds of a new future. While some of his brothers may be more willing to accept the family even in the face of its inevitable destruction, Cheuh-hui embraces the uncertain future; he recognizes that he can only move forward if he does not look back.

I Believe in the Potential of Children :: Teaching Education College Admissions

I Believe in the Potential of Children â€Å"Anybody, any kid can learn if he or she has the desire to do it†¦ The teacher plays an important role in education—we all remember the first teacher who really touched our lives, or gave us some encouragement, or at least appreciated our best. The teacher gives us the desire to learn, the desire to be Somebody†¦The teacher has to have the energy of the hottest volcano, the memory of an elephant, and the diplomacy of an ambassador†¦Really, a teacher has to possess love and knowledge and then has to use this combined passion to be able to accomplish something.† --Bob Alante, teacher Concerning the nature of students, I agree with the Sophist point of view—although all children are not born with the same level of intelligence, all children have the capacity to learn. I do not think that children are born entirely good or entirely bad. A child is influenced by his environment, and models his behavior to match the people closest to him. Knowledge is relative, and the level of success a child achieves in school is directly related to the amount of support and encouragement he receives at home. Public education serves a variety of different functions. Most importantly, education helps to shape children into competent, self-sufficient adults. Schools reflect and promote society’s values. Important social skills needed in the work force and everyday life are learned at school, such as sharing, compromise, and the importance of teamwork. As a teacher, I want to encourage and help children to reach their full potential. I want my students to realize that they are all different, and understand that diversity is a good thing. I believe that there are different types of intelligence, and creativity is just as important as logic. Teachers’ behavior should reflect values such as tolerance, compassion, forgiveness, and open-mindedness. Effective communication skills are needed to encourage students to share their concerns. Teachers should not try to persuade students with their personal points of view, nor should they shy away from showing students that they have strong beliefs. An ideal classroom environment is one that allows students to feel free to express individual beliefs. I will try to exemplify these ethics by using a variety of teaching methods, alternating between visual, kinesthetic and audio instructional approaches in an attempt to reach all students.

censorhf Censorship of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Censorship of Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚   As parents, it is important for you to know what information your child receives, especially in the learning environment of a classroom. The thought of your child reading a racially offensive book is unacceptable. Some people find Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn racially offensive. If you as parents perceive this book to be offensive, it may lead some of you to request that teachers and administrators not allow students to read this book in school. I ask that you consider other options before taking this action. The actual reasons for the censorship of Huckleberry Finn depend on many other factors: fear of uneducated or insensitive teachers leading student discussions, school administrators who wish to avoid controversy and discomfort with acknowledging our country's painful history.    What some people find offensive about this story is the language Huck Finn uses. In the story, Huck often refers to Jim as a "nigger," which some groups find unnecessary and reprehensible. In the minds of administrators and teachers, there is an easy solution by using less-controversial books. John Wallace, a school superintendent, writes, "Pejorative terms should not be granted any legitimacy by their use in the classroom under the guise of teaching books of great literary merit, nor for any other reason" (18). Why are we afraid of these "pejorative terms," instead of explaining to students what they mean and why white people used to use them to address African-Americans? Yet instead of finding out why we worry if the children read a derogative term used commonly over a century ago, we ignore the subject and pat ourselves on the backs for saving children's minds. Huckleberry Finn addresses topics dealing with race which are still relevant today. We cannot expect to solve the racial problems today by banning literature that deals directly with these issues. Twain writes about a friendship between a slave and a white youth; he demonstrates the lack of reason behind racist thought. These topics are not harmful to African-Americans, and if taught correctly, can be a positive learning experience.    Instead of addressing these issues, administrators often remove the controversial book from the class reading list and replace it with another book. Former Justice William Douglas is noted for his concern with First Amendment freedoms on the Supreme Court. He writes, "The First Amendment does not say that there is freedom of expression provided the talk is not 'dangerous'.

Analysis of Tess of the DUrbervilles by Thomas Hardy Essay -- Thomas

Analysis of Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy The depth of artistic unity found in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles pervades every chapter of the novel. No one chapter is less important than another because each is essential in order to tell the tragic tale of Tess Durbeyfield. There is never an instance in Hardy's prose that suggests frill or excess. Themes of the Industrial Revolution in England, the status of women during Victorian England, Christianity vs. Paganism, matters of nobility, and the role that fatalism plays in life weave together with various symbols to create an amazing flow to his novel. At the beginning of chapter thirty-one, Joan Durbeyfield has just sent a letter with her advice to Tess. She tells Tess to keep her past from Angel a secret. Tess' mother is a practical woman who knows that Angel will be like most men and will reject Tess once he discovers the truth. It is important that Joan makes an appearance in this chapter because Tess' parents' influence on their daughter is integral to the plot of the novel from the beginning. In fact, a line can be traced from Tess to her parents to the effect of the Industrial Revolution on the peasantry of England. At the beginning of the novel, Tess offers to go Casterbridge to deliver the beehives that her father was supposed to deliver. John Durbeyfield is unable to make this delivery because he has yet again inebriated after having made a visit to Rolliver's Inn. Tess' father is just one example of the many victims of the Industrial Revolution. He and Joan are "representatives of the disaffected and drunken villagers whose houses will soon fall to larger farms mass-producing crops for mass consumption."[1]The villagers... ...By Thomas Hardy. N.p.: Unversity of Michigan, n.d. 417-427. Shaw, Bernard. Man and Superman. Cambridge, Mass.: The University Press, 1903; Bartleby.com, 1999. www.bartleby.com/157/. Tess of the D'Urbervilles. 37th ed. New York : Penguin Group, 1980. Tess of the D'urbervilles/ HARDY. Masterplots. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Thomas Hardy." Critical Survey of Long Fiction. N.p.: n.p., n.d. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Bishnupriya Ghosh, "Critical Evaluation" Tess of the D'Urbervilles/HARDY, Masterplots [2] Charles E. May, "Thomas Hardy," Critical Survey of Long Fiction [3] May 1509 [4] George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, August 1999, November 10, 2003, http://www.bartleby.com/157/100.html [5] Donald Hall, Afterword on Tess of the D'urbervilles, Tess of the D'urbervilles, Peguin 1980 ed.

Natural and Sexual Selection of Vestigial and Wild Type Drosophila Melanogaster

Natural and Sexual Selection of Vestigial and Wild Type Drosophila melanogaster Abstract In this experiment, vestigial flies as well as wild type flies were used to create some diversity as well as test one of our hypotheses. Our hypotheses are as follows; 1) The wild type flies will have a greater relative fitness compared to the vestigial flies based on only sexual selection. The wild type has a relative fitness of 1 since it has fully functional wings. Vestigial Winged flies are not as sexually appealing since their wings are not functional and the wing movement is a vital part of their mating ritual. ) The vestigial fly will have a greater relative fitness when considering both sexual and natural selection. With the presence of natural selection (fly paper hanging from top of cage) posing a larger threat to the wild flies b/c they can fly better, this will allow vestigial flies to prosper better. To set up this experiment, two twenty-five gallon aquariums, 3 petri-dishes, 200 fli es, rotten bananas, and yeast were used. It was decided that there would be 80 vestigial flies and 20 wild type flies to total to an initial population of 100 drosophila.In the sexual selection circumstance, the vestigial drosophila’s carrying capacity is somewhere around 80 individuals, which is consistent with the wild type drosophila’s carrying capacity in this circumstance (Figure 4). In the sexual and natural selection circumstance the wild type drosophila have a carrying capacity at approximately 100 individuals (Figure 5). As both of the p-values from each circumstances in our experiment are greater than 0. 05, both hypotheses must be refuted. IntroductionThis experiment focuses specifically on Drosophila melanogaster, also known as the common fruit fly (Lynch, M. , et al. pp 645-663). For over 100 years scientists have been using them in experiments as they are referred to as a â€Å"model organism. † They were deemed a â€Å"model organism† since they are characterized as having a large reproductive capacity, a medium size, a short generation time, and are inexpensive to keep alive. Fruit flies only consume yeast growing on rotting fruit. Sixty-one percent of human genetic diseases have been found in fruit flies, they also share many similar genes with humans.The male fruit fly spends most of his time chasing after and singing to female flies with hopes of mating with her, they are successful about once a day (Stowe, K. 2008). The male fruit fly frequently sticks out one wing or the other which is accompanied by its vibration, producing a â€Å"love song† that can be recorded with specialized microphones (Hall, Jeffrey C. , pp 1702-1714). To distinguish male drosophila from females, there must be a distinctive black spot on the distal end of their abdomen for it to be a male, the females do not have this black spot.In this experiment, vestigial flies as well as wild type flies were used to create some diversity as we ll as test one of our hypotheses. Vestigial flies do not have well functioning wings, however wild flies do have functioning wings. Within this experiment, degrees of natural selection, sexual selection, and a combination of both were tested on the two types of flies. Natural selection is survival of the fittest. Sexual selection is the ability of organisms to choose their mates depending on their species. Relative fitness is the ability of an organism and species to survive and produce fertile, successful offspring.Purpose of our experiment is to determine the effect of natural selection on two subspecies coexisting under similar circumstances. Our hypotheses are as follows; 1) the wild type flies will have a greater relative fitness compared to the vestigial flies based on only sexual selection. The wild type has a relative fitness of 1 since it has fully functional wings. Vestigial Winged flies are not as sexually appealing since their wings are not functional and the wing moveme nt is a vital part of their mating ritual. 2) The vestigial fly will have a greater relative fitness when considering both sexual and natural selection.With the presence of natural selection (fly paper hanging from top of cage) posing a larger threat to the wild flies b/c they can fly better, this will allow vestigial flies to prosper better. Materials and Methods To set up this experiment, two twenty-five gallon aquariums, 3 petri-dishes, 200 flies, rotten bananas, and yeast were used. The bananas chosen to be an accelerant for the growth of the yeast and  were frozen so they would be easier to cut. The yeast was used because the drosophila melanogaster prefer this as a food source.The vestigial and wild type flies were sexed (to determine their sex), sorted, and counted. An initial population size of 100 total flies was decided so that it would be easier to determine the phenotypic percentage of the total population. Fly paper was placed in one of the sets of cages to impose a m ethod of natural selection as well as the sexual selection which is being solely tested by the other set of cages. It was decided that there would be 80 vestigial flies and 20 wild type flies to total to an initial population of 100 drosophila.Next, the flies were anesthetized flies using Fly Nap. The flies were counted out to reach desired ratio, sexing the flies making sure there are equal amounts of males and females to be sure there is ample individuals to allow successful mating. The fly’s food was prepared by taking a frozen rotten banana, cutting it in half, mashing up the banana meat, and mixing yeast into it. The bananas were then cut into halves horizontally (six halves total in each cage) and split down the middle length wise leaving the peel on the banana, revealing the yeast-banana mush and placed into the petri dishes.The petri dishes were then arranged into a horseshoe shape in the bottom of the aquarium. Next, the allele frequencies were determined by using th e hardy Weinberg equation (p2+2pq+q2). This experiment will prove our hypotheses sufficiently if carried out correctly by changing the total populations of the subspecies of each fly. Since the vestigial flies do not fly they will be affected by sexual selection only. However, the wild type flies will be affected by sexual and natural selection.The outcome that is predicted is that the relative fitness of the vestigial flies will stay low in the sexual selection circumstance and they will prosper in the sexual and natural selection circumstance since they do not fly and are not able to come near the fly paper posing as the natural selection. Also, the wild type flies will remain at a high fitness level in the sexual selection, but a low fitness level in both sexual and natural selection circumstance. Table 1: General Data from Sexual Selection| Generation| Sexual Selection Only| Total Drosophila| Wild Type| Vestigial| | 0| 20| 80| 100| 1|   |   |   | 2| 6| 12| 18| 3| 338| 50| 388| 4| 201| 21| 222| 5| 428| 35| 463| table 1: shown in this table is the initial data of the total count of flies captured for counting in each species each week/generation in the sexual selection group. | Results Table 2: General Data from Natural and Sexual Selection| Generation| Natural and Sexual Selection| Total Drosophila| Trapped Wild Type Flies| | Wild Type| Vestigial| | | 0| 20| 80| 100| 0| 1|   |   |   |   | 2| 16| 59| 75| lots| 3| 23| 10| 33| lots| | 86| 1| 87| lots| 5| 114| 21| 135| Lots| table 2: shown in this table is the initial data of the total count of flies captured for counting in each species each week/generation in the group that was exposed to natural selection as well as sexual selection. | Table 3: Anova: Single Factor, natural selection |   |   | Source of Variation| SS| df| MS| F| P-value| F crit| Between Groups| 63202. 5| 1| 63202. 5| 3. 513094| 0. 09775| 5. 317655| Within Groups| 143924. 4| 8| 17990. 55| | | | | | | | | | | Total| 207126. 9 | 9|   |   |   |   | | | | | | | |Table 3: Shown in this table is the ANOVA calculation which determines the probability that our null hypothesis will be found true. In this case, the proability of that happening is approximately 0. 09 or 9%. This number is low enough to allow us to accept our hypothesis. | Table 4: Anova: Single Factor natural and sexual selection|   | Source of Variation| SS| df| MS| F| P-value| F crit| Between Groups| 774. 4| 1| 774. 4| 0. 486447| 0. 505277| 5. 317655| Within Groups| 12735. 6| 8| 1591. 95| | | | | | | | | | | Total| 13510| 9|   |   |   |   | | | | | | | Table 4: Shown in this table is the ANOVA calculation for the Natural and Sexual selection grouping of drosophila and the possibility of our null hypothesis occurring. In this case, the value is approximately 0. 5, or 50%. This proves that our hypothesis is not completely reliable. | In â€Å"generation 0,† for the sexual and natural selection set of flies, the total sampl e size is 100 flies consisting of 20 wild type (10 male, 10 female), and 80 vestigial (40 male, 40 female), there were no flies stuck on the fly paper yet.The allelic frequency: p=0. 048, p= 0. 961. For the sexual selection set of flies, the total sample size is 100 flies, consisting of 20 wild type (10 male, 10 female), and 80 vestigial (40 male, 40 female), the allelic frequency is p= 0. 78, and q=0. 22. The dominant trait is denoted by the letter â€Å"p† (wild type), and â€Å"q† denotes the recessive (vestigial). After five generations were allowed to pass, the final total of drosophila in the sexual selection group included 428 wild type and 35 vestigial out of 463 total drosophila(Table 1).After five generations were allowed to pass, the final total of drosophila in the sexual and natural selection group included 114 wild type and 21 vestigial out of 135 total drosophila (Table 2). There is an obvious and drastic decrease in the amount of flies after the five ge nerations passed when comparing the two separate groups. Also, it must be pointed out that the set of data does not have values for the first generation because when the flies were counted, the collection of flies to count was unsuccessful.Next, the p-values of each set of data were calculated by using the ‘ANOVA: Single factor’ function in Microsoft Excel. The p-value of the sexual selection only set of data came out to be 0. 097, or 9. 7% that our null hypothesis that the vestigial flies would be more fit than the wild type flies would come true (Table 3). In Table 4, it is shown that the calculated p-value for the sexual and natural selection conditions of the vestigial and wild type flies produced a value of 0. 1, or 51% that our null hypothesis would come true. Figure 2 shows the data collected in the sexual selection circumstance of both the vestigial and wild type drosophila as well as the total population as to compare visually the drastic contrast between the t wo subspecies. The wild type flies remain more successful than the vestigial flies. Figure 1: In this figure, it is shown visually the differences in the numbers of flies counted per each subspecies of drosophila while under only sexual selection conditions.Figure 3 shows the Natural and sexual selection circumstance’s effects on the populations of both vestigial and wild type flies as well as the total number of flies in the enclosure. The Vestigial flies start off more prosperous than the wild type flies, but then the wild type drosophila regain their success and start reproducing at incredible rates. Figure 2: In this figure, it is shown visually the differences in the numbers of flies counted per each subspecies of drosophila while under both natural and sexual selection.Figure 4: In this figure, the relative fitness and carrying capacity of each subspecies is shown. Figures 4 and 5 have been included to compare fitness levels of each of the fly subspecies. The scale on t he y-axis has been multiplied by 10 to better understand the incredible contrast between the species. In both circumstances, the vestigial drosophila starts out with a higher relative fitness then reaches an equilibrium level with the wild type flies and they switch dominance of their relative fitness.Figure 5: In this figure, the relative fitness and carrying capacity of each subspecies is shown. Discussion This curvature of the graphs and intersections happen because when the subspecies reach their carrying capacities, they must make a change so that they can survive as a community. In the sexual selection circumstance, the vestigial drosophila’s carrying capacity is somewhere around 80 individuals, which is consistent with the wild type drosophila’s carrying capacity in this circumstance (Figure 4). In the sexual and natural selection ircumstance the wild type drosophila have a carrying capacity at approximately 100 individuals (Figure 5). As both of the p-values fr om each circumstances in our experiment are greater than 0. 05, both hypotheses must be refuted. It is suggested that this experiment is conducted again using a better enclosure for the flies. During the semester, countless flies were flying around the lab which could account for the numbers of flies being inaccurate. There are possible errors in the sexing as well as the counting of the flies.Only a few flies crawled into the tubes with apple cider vinegar, and didn’t allow for every fly to be accounted for. The temperature of the lab was often quite cold, therefore this could account for some of the flies dying. As temperature was not a factor we were testing in this experiment, the temperature should be kept at a constant level. This experiment is important on a global level because of the closeness in the similarities of the genes between the drosophila and humans (Lynch, M. , et al. pp 645-663).This experiment shows us how, if humans were meant to survive strictly on nat ural and sexual selection, that mutations would play a part in the selection of mates. References Hall, Jeffrey C. Jun 1994. The Mating of a Fly. Science 264 No. 5166: pp 1702-1714. Lynch, M. , J. Blanchard, Houle, D. , T. Kibota, Shultz, S. , L. Vassilieva, Willis, J. Perspective: Spontaneous Deleterious Mutation. Evolution 53 No. 3: pp 645-663. Stowe, K. A. , L. L. Hester, and Vieyra, M. L. 2008. Biology 101 Lab Manual. Hayden- McNeil Publishing Inc. , Plymouth, Michigan, USA.

To What Extent was Gorbachev to blame for the Collapse of the USSR Essay

Gorbachev was to fault for the prostration of the USSR for assorted grounds. chiefly because of his two new policies. ‘Glasnost’ ( New Freedom and Openness ) and ‘Perestroika’ ( Economic Restructuring ) . However. there were a few external factors which helped do the prostration of the USSR. such as the consequence Yeltsin had on Russia and how states were turning tired of the whole Communist system itself. Gorbachev’s purpose was to do the Communist system work better by leting people to hold their say in how the system could be improved and to do the Soviet system of cardinal planning of production more efficient. However. it merely allowed people to openly knock the system and shortly people wanted to acquire rid of it. First. the Cold War created a crisis in the USSR. The weaponries race with the USA had become so expensive that Soviet life criterions became worse as more money was spent on arms. Soviet Farming was inefficient ; there wasn’t adequate nutrient. so metric tons of grain had to be imported from the USA. The communist authorities was going more and more corrupt and was unable to run into demands of high life criterions like the West for the Soviet people. The USSR had been at war with Afghanistan since 1979. The war was a complete catastrophe because it cost one million millions of dollars and 15 000 Soviet military personnels were killed. Already people ruled under Communism were get downing to experience uneasy. Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1985 in the USSR and radically changed Soviet Policies. He became General Secretary of the Communist Party. He was more unfastened to the West than old leaders and offered a solution for the current state of affairs. He introduced two major new policies. Glasnost and Perestroika. Glasnost meant New Freedom and Openness. In this policy the Soviet people won new rights. First 1000s of political captives were released. including the ill-famed Andrei Sakharov. Peoples were told of the atrociousnesss committed by Stalin’s dictatorial authorities. Free address was allowed and military muster was to be abolished. Perestroika meant Economic restructuring. Gorbachev wanted to do the system of production more efficient. nevertheless corruptness in the Soviet authorities was excessively great. So he was unable to see through his programs. Gorbachev changed foreign policy. In 1987. a disarming pact was signed. called the INF ( Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces ) . The USSR and the USA agreed to take all medium scope missiles from Europe within three old ages. In 1988. Gorbachev announced the immediate decrease in the arms reserve and the figure of military personnels in the Soviet armed forces. Gorbachev tried to better dealingss with the West. He met the US president Reagan several times. one of which was at the Geneva Summit in 1985. In 1988. Gorbachev abandoned the Brezhnev Doctrine. He told the UN that people now had a pick in Eastern Europe and that the USSR wasn’t traveling to command them any longer. Gorbachev announced the complete backdown of Soviet military personnels from Afghanistan in 1988. In 1978. the Communist Afghan authorities secured a pact with the USSR that allowed them to inquire for military aid when they required it to contend against the Mujahideen Rebels. In 1979. they requested for armored combat vehicles and choppers. this was approved. They so started inquiring for platoons. The USSR was now a spot hesitating on O.K.ing this. In July 1979. American president Jimmy Carter funded for the Afghan Rebels and allowed them to purchase more and better arms. Besides the CIA conducted anti communist propaganda in the localities. In September. the Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan. Hafizullah Amin took power after the shot of President Taraki. The Soviets saw this as destabilising and on December 27th they decided to occupy Afghanistan in an effort to brace the communist authorities. It lasted nine old ages. and was referred to as the Soviet’s Vietnam. The USSR’s invasion cost them a great trade of money. Gorbachev offered what he thought to be a solution for this. The negative affects of communism can be highlighted by looking at the predominating conditions in Hungary and Germany. After the war. the USSR helped set Rakosi. a barbarous Stalinist in charge of Hungary. He was unpopular and in 1956. the people of Budapest protested against his authorities. The secret constabulary were hunted down. Khrushchev allowed the broad Nagy to go Prime Minister. After Austria declared itself a impersonal province in 1955. Nagy hoped that Hungary could make the same. In 1956. Nagy declared the terminal of communism there by retreating from the Warsaw treaty and keeping free elections. In response to this. Soviet armored combat vehicles invaded Hungary. 20 00 Hungarians were killed or injured. Nagy was arrested and shot. Kadar became premier curate and ensured trueness to the USSR. Western states didn’t assist the USSR. This was the first move made by Khrushchev to demo he was tough. The Berlin Wall was built in 1961. In 1949. Stalin ended the Berlin encirclement. Two new provinces formed were East Germany ( Democratic Republic ) and West Germany ( Federal Republic ) . Between so and 1961 over two and a half million people fled to West Germany. The communist authorities of East Germany was worried and so made a 30-mile barrier across the metropolis of Berlin. It was fortified with biting wire and machine gun stations and separated East and West Berlin. Anyone who tried to get away East Berlin was shot. so West Berliners were now separated from friends and household. More unrest continued. this clip with Poland. Solidarity played a major portion in 1980 when Poland’s people rebelled. Solidarity was lead by Lech Walesa and it demanded the right to strike and to be consulted on all major determinations impacting their life and on the job conditions. Solidarity started after the communist authorities decided to raise monetary values due to the foreign debt in Poland’s economic system. It was an anti-communist societal motion. which by 1981 attracted nine million members. It was particularly strong because of the support from the Catholic Church. General Jaruzelski took over the state in 1981 and declared Martial Law. Solidarity was banned and nutrient monetary values were raised 40 % . However. in 1989. free elections were held in Poland and Solidarity won. This was able to go on now because of Glasnost. Glasnost was assisting Eastern European states to really turn away from Communism. this had a really negative impact on Gorbachev. The Cold War was eventually over. Communism fell all over Eastern Europe in 1989. Hungary opened its frontier with Austria in May. Poland held free elections in June. Solidarity won and a new non-communist authorities came to power. Many East Germans crossed through Austria and into West Germany and the Berlin wall was knocked down in November. In 1990 Germany was reunified. Anti-communist presentations took topographic point in Czechoslovakia and the communist authorities collapsed in December. In December a revolution in Romania began against the cruel and corrupt government with dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and he was executed on Christmas twenty-four hours. The Warsaw Pact ended in 1991. Communism was rejected in the USSR. The chief nationalities in the Soviet Union demanded independency. particularly the Baltic democracies. Latvia. Lithuania and Estonia. Gorbachev tried to forestall the rise of patriotism in the Baltic democracies with military force. but he bit by bit started to lose control. The anti-communist Russian president was elected in 1991. Boris Yeltsin was an opposition of Gorbachev and became powerful and popular. He demanded the terminal of communism domination and the dividing up of the USSR. This led to a crisis in 1991. The old communist leaders feared the reforms. so they decided to acquire rid of Gorbachev ; this was an attempted putsch in 1991. A military group tried to prehend power by capturing Gorbachev but Yeltsin rallied the Russian people to defy and the ground forces supported him. the putsch failed. The Soviet democracies shortly became independent and the USSR did non be any longer. Gorbachev lost his power and had to vacate. Communism in Russia was dead. To reason. there were assorted factors which affected the prostration of the USSR. nevertheless I believe that Gorbachev was chiefly to fault because of his new policy Glasnost. Glasnost enabled people to hold free address. Gorbachev believed that it would assist reconstruct the Communist system but alternatively it ruined the system by leting people to openly knock it. Wagess were really low. people could now see the differences between their life style and the West’s life style. particularly when the uncensored Olympics were on. Communism was non offering good on the job conditions any longer. Soviet Young persons were non allowed to see certain movies. listen to certain music or Western wireless Stationss. In the Republics people were tired of being told what to make by Russia all the clip. they wanted to regulate themselves. Glasnost allowed them to knock and protest. Finally this got them independency and the brotherhood was deteriorating. The attempted putsch of 1991 triggered the terminal of the Soviet Union. Yeltsin rallied the Russian people to defy with the support of the ground forces. the putsch failed and the Soviet Republics became independent and the USSR ceased to be. Yeltsin besides had a big affect on the Russian people to act upon them to turn away from communism. Gorbachev allowed people to turn away from communism. which finally lead to the prostration of the USSR.

Current Trends in Technology Essay

School is no longer limited to simple reading, writing and arithmetic. The use of technology has expanded the prospect for education, giving us never-ending possibilities. Therefore, technology deserves significant school attention in order for students to possess technological survival skills. The positive effects of how it can be used in the classroom to enable learning for teachers and students will be explored as well as the need to ensure job stability in the future. What lesson ideas can teachers do using technology? Assign a digital presentation. Students can express themselves more clearly using technology. Technology can be used extensively for language arts. Student reports no longer have to be limited to a written report. Students now are able to have access to unlimited books online. Therefore, teachers are only limited by the student’s ability to access a computer. Web quest is also a tool used for literature exploration. Teachers are able to use media clips to show in class. Videos are available online that help many teachers provide a visual aid to the lesson that they are teaching. Power point presentations enhance instruction in the language arts classroom by storing daily objectives in a PowerPoint presentation and begin each class session by sharing the daily objectives. Creating PowerPoint presentations for essential notes and providing students the slides using the â€Å"handout† option will prevent students from focusing on simply copying the notes from the board or overhead. They will listen to teacher comments and make meaningful notes in the spaces provided. The amount of information on each slide should be limited to one or two important bullets. Students should be encouraged to use PowerPoint presentations when they are required to present to the class. Their self-expression and creativity can be explored with the program’s design options. Reading strategies can be done with the use of technology. During reading teachers can help students activate prior knowledge and generate predictions in order to comprehend text. Teachers can do this when they introduce a reading lesson or topic. Using a multi-media approach, the teacher shows pictures, slides, or clips that is similar to the story concept. Real life connections can also be made with the help of these visuals, as well as helping them create mental images. Students can be asked to make predictions on what they think the story is about. Their answers and responses can be recorded and played back to them after the story is over. This stimulates their interest in the current reading lesson. They will be keener to paying attention and listening. They will be eager to hear their responses played back to them to see if their predictions were correct. Internet provides access to public domains. It also gives students the freedom to read some of the greatest written books and materials. Using websites provides students with a greater knowledge of historical and social foundations in which many pieces of literature rest upon. Printouts of short stories found on line can be distributed to the class. They can be required to read the text and highlight the story concepts such as setting, characters and etc. Teachers and students can also set up a blog that is viewed by their class only. This allows the students to express their ideas and thoughts with the teacher and vice versa. Students can share ideas with classmates and also read one another’s post. This helps tighten the bond between teacher and student and bring classmates closer together. They will all have something in common that they are a part of. There are a number of strategies that can be used in the teaching of reading for students. If a teacher is uncertain how they can integrate technology into their reading instruction, there are many websites that gives lesson plans and ideas. Technology also can be used with writing. Teachers are able to have advance writing instruction with the help of technology. Projectors can be used for students to see the writing process modeled by their teachers. This gives students a chance to see how the procedure works from rough drafting to final revisions. There is a lot of software available that help kids make their story come alive. Programs are available that read their story back to them. How awesome is that? Kids can hear what their writing sounds like and this offers a chance for them to critique it even farther. Microsoft Word is a poplar application program that is used widely in education. This program allows and helps students recognize grammatical and spelling errors. This provides students with guidance on writing a correct composition. It also guides students as well as help them overcome and accomplish the task of terminology difficulty. They are provided with a vast selection of terms. Websites are available that demonstrate proper organization and correct format for writing. It helps with the building and organization of thoughts for a paper. These websites serve as a learning tool. They assist teacher and students in recognizing rational and well thought-out writing ideas. Researching these web sites inspire students with many writing ideas they may have been blocked from. Not to mention, the expansion of the writing curriculum for students with disabilities have greatly been expanded. These students are now able to use voice and touch screen programs as a way to express their ideas. This method is much more effective than the use of paper and pencil. These programs assist these students in developing language skills as well as writing skills. The internet allows for the publishing of student’s work. This procedure makes the idea of an audience more real to them. It can motivate students to become authors and possibly encourage a future in the writing field. There are many websites that offer contests for student’s writing. Teachers should take time to find challenges for their students and inspire them to write for profit. There are many schools that don’t have the privilege of having available reference books. Many publishers have made their reference books available online. Another way to get students to write is student produced newspapers. This is a great practice for their writing skills. It also allows them to be creative, productive and organized. Technology can be used as a written language convention. Students reinforce their grammar skills with online games and activities. This is a way students can have fun with dry material. Oral language can be improved with the use of technology. PowerPoint presentations allow students to organize their speeches and make the audience follow along with the presenter and the teacher to assess a student’s performance. Project based learning can greatly be increased with the use of technology. This is a way students can use technology in proportion to real life situations. Students are able to make decisions in small groups based upon their design, problem solving, resolutions, and analytical measures. This allows students the freedom to be n charge and have full control over their own project. They will be digging deep into those critical thinking skills in order for their project to run smoothly. It gives them more creative independence. This serves as a hands-on learning experience in order for students to answer and relate to the main ideas and standards of the subject area. These encounters are related to e veryday life. Students will be able to take what they’ve learned and apply it in their own life. Students are also able to get involved with projects which connect classes together around the world. The internet provides structure and resources for students to do research on an international level. The use of technology broadens student’s horizons, their goals and beliefs. They can actually connect to another part of the world. They can learn cultural information about places they’ve only heard about. It gives them a chance to explore what’s out there in the world from inside their classroom. What better way for a child to learn about new things than being in a school environment? This is safer for our kids. It takes down the risk of them exploring outside of school on their own. A lot of children don’t know what’s out there because they’ve never been exposed to new surroundings. Children tend to stray away more so out of being curious. Why not fulfill that curiosity by exploring it in class? Project based learning allows children to feed their curiosity by allowing them to choose and have control over what they want to learn. What about drugs, sex and weapons? These are all subjects that kids can explore using technology as a guide. They can research the most harmful drugs in the United States and compared it to the harmful drugs in another country. Teenage pregnancy rate and STD’s can be compared or examined around the world. Weapons that are used to kill children and or our soldiers can be brought to the student’s attention. These subjects are also crucial one’s that need to be discussed with our youth. Students can present their information and their results to the class. They can also come up with a way they feel these problems can be solved or minimized. There might be a student who’s considering having sex, once they research and see the effects of sex up close and personal (i. e. regnancy and STD’s) maybe their mind will be changed. Another one might be interested or all ready taking drugs. They will gain knowledge about what drugs really do to your body. Guns are growing more and more poplar. Students can see first hand the consequences of these weapons. The innocent lives that is lost due to carelessness. As a result of the use of technology, project based learning can be upgraded trem endously and provide a whole new level of learning experiences, which will be beneficial to the student in the long run. Technology can be used to provide visual learning. Digital storytelling challenges students to take their written ideas and translate them into a visual medium. They could write a script then produce a video. Teachers can create rubrics for assessing students, writing and speaking. Teachers can use projectors in the classroom to show photographs, videos or slides. These visual aids keep students engage in the instruction they are receiving. A teacher can integrate a video to go along with the lesson they are teaching. A student can only get so much from a lecture. Most people are visual learners. A video can reemphasize the information that the teacher is trying to convey. That allows those students who weren’t able to grasp the understanding or the concept of the lesson an alternative measure. Teachers can also use technology as visual aids by printing out statistical information for students to see. They can make printouts of graphs and charts to reiterate a particular subject. There are many websites available that provide many resources and tips teachers can use to create hands-on visual aids in their classroom. This will be a great way to allow students to work together as a team. It will decrease isolation among students. They all can work in teams to research a project on the internet. Teachers can also ask students to use the internet to come up with an audio visual project they can share with the class. Students have fun and learn more when they can see what they are learning. Point blank students will be excited and eager when they are able to participate and contribute to their own learning. Shouldn’t they be able to donate and feed their own minds? Technology as visual aids is a way they can connect their interest to learning. Another visual aid that the teacher can use is handouts. Handouts are a way to reinforce the instruction that is given. It gives students a general overview of the material as well as identifying the key points. This will cut down on confusion and students will be clearer on the focus points. Visual aids, especially audio visual help many students that have different learning styles. This strategy brings mode of students who don’t have the so called, â€Å"norm† learning style. In history this can be used for students to see some of the places they are iscussing. Students can view pictures and artifacts through the web that will really make the lesson come alive for them. They will be like, â€Å"Wow this really happened! † or â€Å"Wow this really did exist! † There are many websites that provide simulations for certain subject areas for students. Science is a subject where there is no limit to what students can explore and research with the help of the i nternet. Students can look up all types of animals and insects. This will be much more fun than just reading about them in their textbooks. They can even print out certain information they have found, with teacher approval of course. Visual aids are an awesome way to turn a classroom into an adventurous experience instead of a place. Teachers can benefit tremendously from the use of technology. Technology can help boost the relationship between students and teacher. It affects the way teachers instruct and give a lesson. Technology is a level where students and teachers can relate and identify on. Teachers can use computer tools to reorganize record keeping and clerical tasks, in order to free up time for instruction or professional development. Teachers are able to keep track of grades, behavior and other classroom information with the use of a computer. This information can be saved and always be available for the teacher to pull up at the demand of a parent. This cuts out paper work that can often be misplaced. Teachers can input their lesson plans and goals on the handout for parents to have a record as well. Therefore isolation will be decreased by using e-mail and the Internet to communicate with colleagues, parents, and the outside world. What grown up doesn’t have an e-mail? E-mail is a great way for parents to communicate with teachers effectively when face to face is not possible. Teachers are so busy; often they don’t have the time to call each individual parent. Simple questions and information can be exchanged through e-mail. This mode also help out working parents who can’t often answer a phone call when their busy. A click in their e-mail and this problem can be eliminated. Professional development activities can be increased by taking distance education courses, accessing educational research, and accessing classroom materials such as lesson plans. Teachers will be able to take courses that their principal may suggest through the use of the internet. They can also take classes that can help further their education online. Also, teachers will not have to leave their classroom when they are looking for additional activities for their students. They can search the internet for educational ideas that will help productivity in their classroom. Teachers can find video clips and other materials that will go hand in hand with their lesson plans. These can serve as great visual aids and teaching tools when giving instruction. If a student poses a question that the teacher may be unclear of the answer, they can look it up together. There are a wide variety of tools that are available to help teachers transform their classroom into a more exciting place for learning. Smart boards are growing more and more poplar. These non traditional boards are a way for teachers to transmit information from their computer screen to the class. Their also software available that help teachers set up websites for their class. Teachers can create websites that are designated specifically to the concept they are teaching, for the purpose of helping their students. This eliminates those web sites teachers are not comfortable with their students exploring. The teaching of technology to our kids will help secure them a successful career in the future. In a demanding economy, technology skills are required to stay ahead. Jobs are being lost everyday. Why not ensure our children a spot in the years to come? Technology is used even in the simplest profession. Students not only need to learn the skills that are evident in the workforce today, but also be ready and prepared for the technology changes that will happen in the future.